Leftovers
by Viraqua
Summary: Due to certain events, Kurenai finds herself the reluctant sensei of a student that makes her genjutsu look like infomercials. Thus is the story of Team 11. Rated MA because I'm evil...and possible lemons, drug references, harems, depravity, and everything else I can think of. No, Kurenai and Naruto don't get together.
1. Late Entry

Kurenai tugged at her flak jacket as she stood among the Jounin that were her senior by years, and even decades.

She had just become a jounin last year due to personal issues that prevented her from doing so earlier. Since then, she has only worn the vest once...well...now.

For chunin, it was was kind of expected. Not mandatory, but as an homage to making it to chunin.

By the time you reached jounin, or even tokubetsu jounin, you survived long enough to know that the jacket didn't do jack dittly squat when it came to protection and usually got in the way. The scroll pockets were even worse. Who puts their scrolls on the front of their chest where they'd impede movement or even get damaged?

Thus, the vest was only mandatory in a few instances. Ceremony and war.

Her fidgeting ceased when she noticed a few stares her way. While she kept her clam demeanor on the outside, in her mind, she was grumbling. Why were they all waiting again?

*Poof* Ah, gomen. A black cat crossed my-"

"Save the antics, Kakashi. Now that we're all here, we can begin the team selections", the Sandaime started.

Kurenai drifted off as the discussion started. There weren't enough teams for her to receive one after all. She was only acting as a backup this year, in case one of the senseis became unable to lead their team, temporarily or permanently, as small a chance as it was that it would happen.

It was disappointing though. She would have liked to become the sensei of her old charge, HInata. The last time she saw her, she had yet to gain much confidence in herself. She could only hope her sensei could help her.

" I want Aburame Shino, Hyuga Hinata, and Kiba"

Kurenai looked to the front of the office to see Inuzuka Tsume standing, commandingly, in the front of the room. The Hokage, and everyone else, stared in surprise at her.

" You seem confident in your choices, but your own son? Usually that isn't allowed, Tsume", the Hokage argued.

Tsume was already prepared for that, " If I'm making a tracking team, I want the best potential, and who better to lead them than an experienced tracker? Especially with my son aboard. I can train him alot easier, leaving more time to train the other two, who will need more work. Not so much Shino as Hinata, who everybody knows is softer than tissue paper. Who better than both me and my son to put some fighting spirit into the girl?-"

Alot of people wanted to chuckle hysterically...but they dared not to.

"-plus, if Shino is anything like his old man, he needs an Inuzuka to bug the logic out of him sometimes", she wrapped up her case. Everybody sweatdropped...but couldn't argue.

" Still, I don't think Kiba would like having his mother watching over his shoulder all the time", Asuma stepped in, seeing as noone else would.

Tsume rounded on him in an instant, " Oh? And why would you think that?", she asked, sounding like it had better be a good answer.

Asuma shrugged, " Well, what if your father had become your sensei?"

Tsume's eyes widened before she seemed to pale a few shades, " ...Errr, I'll give him breathing room...lots and lots of breathing room", she replied with a shudder.

The two Sarutobis nodded, " Then I'll allow it this time then. Now-"

Before he could go any further, a chunin burst into the room and went straight to the Hokage. After whispering something, the Hokage sighed and got up, " Excuse me for a moment, Something has come up that needs my attention",

A few of the jounins grumbled about having to wait...once he left of course. It was only minutes later that he came back.

" It seems one of our non graduates, Uzumaki Naruto, has stolen the forbidden scroll".

Kurenai was just as shocked as the rest of the room, well, until she replayed the words in her head.

" You said " It seems" Hokage-sama?"

She didn't realize it was her talking until everyone turned and looked at her. The Hokage nodded with a grin.

" Perceptive as always Kurenai-san. There was no way for someone so young to know about that scroll, and it reminds me far too much of a similar incident years ago".

" Then shouldn't we be out looking for him as well?", Asuma suggested.

" I doubt the chunin will have a problem finding someone who didn't even graduate", Kakashi rebuked from behind his book.

" Right, because the academy is so good at seeing talent". They were all staring at her again, including Kakashi, who looked up from his book to see who had countered his opinion. She kept going anyways.

" If I remember correctly, this is the same boy that managed to paint the Hokage Monument in front of everybody and lead pursuing chunin on a wild goose chase for half an hour?".

The grumbles in the room were proof enough that it was.

" So you're saying we should go look too?", Kakashi questioned with an inquisitive eye.

Kurenai shook her head, " Not at all. Hokage-sama knows him better than any of us, and has planned for it. I am merely stating not to underestimate people based on academic standing. Jiraiya-sama should be example enough of that".

Nobody could argue that.

" While it is heartening to see someone standing up for him for a change, I suggest we get the rest of the teams knocked out. Kakashi?", the Sandaime gestured to the aloof jounin.

" Uchiha Sasuke for sure. Since we have an odd number of graduates this year, I am willing to take just two, so for the second, say, Haruno Sakura?".

The Hokage raised his brow, " An interesting choice. My Anbu have reported her being part of an orginization dedicated to idolizing Uchiha Sasuke".

Kurenai had to suppress a snort. An Uchiha and a fangirl? Kakashi is evil.

" It might help Sasuke gain a tie to Konoha. It's no secret he wants nothing more than to kill his brother. The problem is making sure he doesn't abandon everything to do it."

" And you're going to do this by putting a fangirl on the team...Are you sure it's not going to make him want to run even more?", Asuma joined in on the poking fun.

You could tell Kakashi was starting to get irritated, " Oh? Maybe I should take the Yamanaka or Nara heir instead?".

Kurenai breathed a chuckle as Asuma clammed up with a sheepish look, " Err, I think it has potential", he backed off.

The Hokage wrote it down, then looked at his son...then looked back down and started writing again.

" Umm, what are you doing pops?"

" The Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi".

Asuma folded his arms, " You don't know that. I could have picked someone totally different".

The Hokage stared silently at Asuma until he finally caved, " Okay. Yes. But only because their father's hounded me, for a month, to do it. Personally I think Ino is too different from her father for another trio to work as well as it did, but if there's a chance, might as well take it".

The Hokage looked surprised, like he expected a completely different argument. Before his surprise could be voiced, a knock came from the door.

"Enter"

Instead of the update on Naruto he was expecting, his old rival, Danzo, walked in.

" And what may I do for you, Danzo?", the Hokage asked with a healthy helping of caution.

" Just a request. It has come to my attention that there is an odd number of graduates this year".

" Oh? And how did you know this?", the Hokage inquired.

" Easy. I counted them as they left the building...but to the point. I have a pupil, that I have been training, that wishes to make it into the ranks. I see this as a perfect opportunity for him to do so", Danzo stated as he gave the necessary paperwork to the Hokage.

Apprentices didn't need to go through the academy. As long as their mentors vouched for them and they passed the tests required, they could become genin. It was just getting them on teams that was a bother. Unless you had three apprentices and either coaxed a jounin or made yourself their sensei, you had to wait for an open spot. And this was, obviously, that opportunity.

Hiruzen knew better. The plant would be to observe Sasuke, who Danzo knew would be taken by Kakashi, who Danzo knew would take the odd number. Everybody knew the boy was a loose cannon, even Danzo, and he wasn't going to rely on emotional attachment to keep him around. As much as Hiruzen wanted to deny it, it was a sound investment, though, the boy would be taking the spot that was meant for Naruto if he had graduated. Hopefully next year, he would.

Hiruzen nodded, " He can fill the empty spot on Team 7, as long as Kakashi agrees?", he prodded the man, who hadn't taken his head out of that book once during the whole exchange.

" I won't have to babysit him will I?"

Danzo looked to the jounin, " I can assure you, that his skill is well above the academy curriculum, so he will need little " babysitting"", the bandaged man answered.

" Then I see no reason to argue", Kakashi answered with a shrug.

The Hokage nodded, " Then that leaves all the teams assembled. Be at the Academy in three days to pick up your teams",

With that, the jounin started filing out of the room with Kakashi taking the window out of laziness. Kurenai stuck near the wall, waiting to meet up with Asuma, who was no doubt going to wait for the crowd to thin before even trying to leave. Her waiting was interrupted as it seemed a chunin was trying to go against the crowd and get into the office.

A freshly bandaged chunin, with no headband and a giant scroll.

Once he got through, he immediately went to the Hokage and started murmuring something. The quiet conversation continued until-

" Shimata"

That caught both Asuma's and Kurenai's attention. The Sandaime hardly ever swore.

" You couldn't have come five minutes earlier?", he continued as he started paging through the roster used for team placements.

As soon as he landed on the last page, he looked up directly at her, " Kurenai-san, could you stay for a while longer?".

Her surprise was evident. What did the Hokage need to talk to her about? Waiting for the rest to leave found Kurenai...and Asuma in the room. The Hokage gave Asuma a questioning look, and Asuma gave him a look like he should know better. Such were the communication skills between the two.

The Hokage seemed to ponder something before nodding, then turned to her, " It seems Naruto was tricked into stealing the scroll by his teacher, Mizuki, as an alternative test to graduating, much like the prior incident I mentioned", he started, elliciting surprise from the two jounin as he continued.

" Naruto was found by Iruka, who he told as much, before both were attacked by Mizuki, during which, Naruto was told of his tenant".

This caused tension. Naruto knew of the Kyubi now?

The Hokage continued before they could voice their concerns," The confrontation continued until Naruto apparently used Kagebushin, which he learned from the scroll, to overwhelm Mizuki and incapacitate him. In the aftermath, Iruka-san here graduated him to genin".

Kurenai looked at the proud, injured, chunin. So that's where his headband went. " Is there some reason you felt he could graduate now, and not during the test?"

It caught Iruka off guard, especially the concentration boring into him from her. " Uh, he only failed because he couldn't do the clone jutsu. I felt his new skill rectified this problem".

Asuma wanted to know something else, " Kagebushin is a chakra intensive jutsu, and, yet, you said he overwhelmed a chunin with them. How many did he make?".

Iruka replied with total seriousness, " Hundreds. Maybe even a thousand".

Even Hiruzen's eyes widened a bit. The amount of chakra needed for that was indescribable. He would truly be a powerhouse with the right guidance.

" As I said, so much for the Academy's knack for seeing talent. You expected someone with that much chakra to do a simple clone without extensive chakra control exercises?", Kurenai disapproved as she crossed her arms.

Before it could turn into a guilt trip, the Hokage interrupted, " Unfortunately, what was supposed to be his spot on Team 7 has been filled with Danzo's pupil, which I cannot change after already accepting it". Not that he was sound on the placement to begin with.

He watched as Kurenai caught on, " Which is why I'm bumping the backup further down the line, and instating you as his sensei".

She was immediately on the defense, " You...want me to be his sensei?¿ I hardly feel I would be experienced enough to train him Hokage-sama. Not to mention the lack of teammates".

The Hokage was unperturbed," It's true that normally an extra genin would usually be put through the last year of the Academy again until they could be formed onto a team, but there are multiple reasons I don't want that to happen. He knows of the Kyubi, so if I were to put him through the class again, he would also know why all the other students avoid him, being comprised of civilians and the smaller clans. I watched him go through that once already before he fell back into this class-" the Hokage got up as he continued, " -and to take away his headband after what has happened...would be asinine on my part...there's also the little fact that he learned a kinjutsu in one night...it's obvious he's going to be a force of nature with the right training, so the "Hokage" wants him on the field, not in a classroom-", he turned from the window to look at them.

" It's also getting to dangerous to keep him out of the forces. You saw the potential in him Kurenai. If a foreign "recruiter" saw it as well, and him without a headband, after having his headband taken away and being forced to go through the Academy again with a class that hates him for something that he KNOWS I kept from him...what do you think is going to happen?"

If a double-take was an emotion, both of the jounin would be going through it right now. No wonder he still deserved that hat. It was a bleak yet very possible scenario. The image of Naruto with a Kumo headband on was far too easy to imagine. Kumo...where they had two jinchuruki...it was even reported that one of them might be a female.

"Actually, it's been confirmed. A rather attractive one at that", the Hokage replied.

" Dammit pops, that's creepy", Asuma complained as Kurenai looked at him in shock.

" What? Mizu's in no condition to be recruiting, Iwa still has a distrust of blondes, and Suna couldn't keep him for obvious reasons. So it's obvious which one would take him in a heartbeat, and has a blonde female jinchuruki to lure him."

" Alright, I get it Hokage-sama, but why me? You said it yourself, he's geared towards ninjutsu, I'm a genjutsu specialist."

The Hokage grumbled in his throat as he tried to think of the best way of saying it...and then he gave up, " Because I personally think you'll make a better teacher for him than Kakashi ever could for any student".

Ouch

" Kakashi is a genius, always was. And while I don't doubt his expertise in the field of ninjutsu and his skills, I do doubt his ability to teach. His "teamwork" test alone gives as much of a warning bell. While it's supposed to figure out the weak link and test the dynamic of the students, it's not supposed to be used as a pass/fail test. It's too complicated for new graduates, who have been bunched together with people they might have quarreled with the day before. He assumes and expects too much, and I'm sure it will be seen in his teaching style as well".

They couldn't defend against it.

" You, on the other hand..."

"...Me?", Kurenai questioned.

" Well, the proof is in the past Kurenai. Who discredited Naruto's skills and who argued against it? Besides, a scroll can teach a person a jutsu, what Naruto needs is someone to teach him".

"...Teach him what?".

" Everything that nobody else did".

Silence reigned in the room as Kurenai absorbed that. It was vague...and ominous.

" You'll figure out you have more to give him than you think. So, I'm forming you and Naruto into Team 11 until you find your other two students"

" Wait..find, Hokage-sama?", she asked in confusion.

" You didn't think Danzo was the only one with a pupil looking to get into the ranks, did you? They're out there, recruit them, or you can wait until next year's class to fill the spots, or, kami-forbid, get them from a broken team. It's not the members that are in short supply, Kurenai, it's the team spots that are rare. By forming this team, I'm giving you and Naruto a shot, along with two other people tha might have never had such a chance. Don't deny them that".

Kurenai's shoulders slunk in defeat, " Hai...Hokage-sama", Kurenai breath out, less than convinced. Asuma ushered her to the door as Hiruzen regarded their backs.

" And if all else fails, I'm sure my son would be more than happy to help you out every now and then.", he added with a smirk.

They stumbled and froze a little, but their denial fell short as they realized there was no point in trying. Figured he would know.

Kurenai sighed to herself as they left. What had she gotten herself into?

8

8

8

*With Naruto*

Despite his earlier cheer in front of his sensei, tonight's events left him torn. While it was a breath of fresh air to know why people glared at and despised him, it added so many suspicions that the relief was short-lived.

Did everyone know?

What else was being hid from him?

Why was he chosen?

And a much deeper one being, did he graduate because of his merits that night, or because he found out about..it? He wasn't stupid...Hyper, scatterbrained, and loudmouthed, but not stupid. When there was noone around to try to catch the attention of, you could see it plain as day. It's just too bad noone really bothered to look...or care.

As much as he just wanted to forget about it, it weighed too heavily. So much so that he totally forgot to tell anybody of the second jutsu he learned. He didn't get to try it, but it was so much like the first, all he really needed to do was remember the handsigns and give it the good old college try. Maybe he should try it tomorrow. It might help clear his mind. With that, he finally nodded off.

8

8

*clock spinning wildly*

The night before team placements found Kurenai nervous and fidgeting. It was one in the morning and she had yet to get any sleep. She was too ingrained in trying to figure out exactly what she was going to do. Since there was only one genin in the team, there was no point in having a teamwork test, so what next? That's what she was trying to figure out. She had a few ideas written down, but not much...*BLI-*

Naruto twisted and turned in bed as something assaulted his eyelids. Finally giving up the fight, he woke up...to find out he was late for team assignments.

"CRAP!", he shouted as he jumped out of bed and started getting ready. He almost put on his goggles, but remembered the headband sitting on his nightstand. He looked at it as he held it in his hand. Had he earned it? He still had his doubts, but put it on anyways. Coming back to reality, he burst out the door, not even having time for breakfast.

8

8

8

*At the Academy*

"Congratulations on passing. With it, you-", Naruto wasn't listening. He was already in a crappy mood, stuck between Sasuke and Sakura. As soon as he stepped through the door, it started going downhill. First off, No one would believe he had passed, even though it was displayed right on his forehead. The second was having to sit next to the Teme three feet away from him.

Then there was Sakura. For...certain reasons...he had given up on her a couple years back. At first, she seemed happy about it, but after a few months, that happiness seemed to dry up. After that, he caught her looking at him every so often. Then, after that, it seemed like wherever he sat, she sat. She didn't talk to him or anything. It was almost like she was coaxing him to try again.

Grrr! Why did girls have to be so complicated?¡

It was almost as frustrating as his-

"Now, onto team placements! Team 1 will be-", Naruto pushed aside his current frustrations as he listened to the lineup, trying to figure out what team he would be on. Anything but Sasuke's, hopefully...if there was a god. That would be a nightmare.

" Team 7 will be Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Sai, under Hatake Kakashi"

Oh thank you sweet merciful god.

" Sensei. We don't have anyone in our class named Sai", Sakura interupted.

Iruka paused in his announcement to grumble something that sounded like " you think I don't fucking know that?", before replying, " Sai was trained outside of the Academy and passed the criteria needed to be put onto a team. You'll meet him when you meet your sensei. Team 8 will be Hyuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and Inuzuka Kiba under...Inuzuka Tsume-"

" Ehhh?¡ Why is my mom leading my team?¡"

" Stop interupting!", Iruka shouted amongst the snickers at Kiba's predicament. " Team 10 will be Akimichi Chouji, Nara Shikamaru, and Yamanaka Ino under Sarutobi Asuma-*GLARE*", Iruka warned Ino, who had her mouth already open to start expressing her thoughts on the lineup. She, instead, crossed her arms and huffed a pout.

"And finally, Team 11 will consist of Uzumaki Naruto under Yuhi Kurenai".

Naruto's shock was as apparent as everybody else's.

" Eh?¡ Why is Naruto on a team by himself?¡" Sakura

" Who's ass did he kiss to get that?", Kiba

" They were probably worried he'd get his teammates killed", Sasuke got in, much to the amusement of his fan club. For Naruto, on the other hand, it was another doubt into why he was even made a ninja.

Iruka piped in after Sasuke's rude comment, " You shouldn't laugh Sasuke. Until the other two spots are filled, he gets to train exclusively with his sensei, while you have to share with two other people", this had the wanted effect of sending Sasuke into a bout of glowering as Ino decided to pipe up.

" He can have my spot and I can have his!"

Iruka sighed, " It doesn't work that way Ino-"

" Then just put me on his team! At least he has energy! These two lazy bums wouldn't roll over if they were on fire!".

The eyes of the "two lazy bums" twitched in annoyance. Naruto, however, didn't look like he was even listening.

"Anyways. Your senseis will pick you up after lunch-"

"-*Slam!* Team 8! We're going out to lunch!"

"...or before", Iruka added as he stared at the feral looking woman who had burst through the door with a giant dog just as gruff looking. Kiba dragged himself down the steps with his teammates. This was so wrong.

The rest of the class went to lunch as Naruto just sat there. He hadn't brought anything for lunch anyways, and he really wasn't all that hungry.

8

8

*-NK*

When Kurenai opened her eyes again, she was no longer staring at the paper she was writing on. She was resting her head on it...and it was wet.

She must have dozed off...uhoh.

She instantly became alert as she snapped up and looked at the clock. She was late. Oh Kami, was she late! She shot up to her feet and bolted out the door. She should have picked up Naruto over an hour ago.

8

8

*At the Academy*

The door finally opened again, only for one Hatake Kakashi to come in with some pale, black haired kid sporting a large bump on his head.

" The rest of Team 7, up on the roof in 5 minutes", he ordered shortly before poofing away.

The two looked confused

" He sounded angry...what happened?", Sakura asked their, apparently, teammate.

" All I did was give my first impression of him", he answered emotionlessly before poofing up to the roof as well. Sasuke got up and walked out of the classroom, Sakura following, but not before giving a confused glance back at Naruto.

Did his sensei ditch him or something? It looked like he was at the same conclusion. She turned and caught up to her teammates.

Kurenai was cutting a path through a park to get to the Academy, until she nearly collided into a fleshy wall. Luckily, she put the brakes on quick enough.

" It's nice to see you too, Kurenai, but you're supposed to jump into my arms...wait..where's Naruto?", Asuma asked as he looked at her disshelved state.

" I haven't picked him up yet"

" Kurenai!"

" I fell asleep at my table", she admitted

Asuma shook his head, " Poor kid's been sitting there for hours".

" Asuma", she warned. She was in the middle of getting there afterall, and he wasn't making it any better.

" Alright, alright, but before you get going, let's at least try not to look half crazy when you meet him", he reasoned as he patted down her frizzled hair, cleaned the ink off her cheek, and straightened out the sleeves on her dress. It was like being inspected by her father.

" There, now go get your student before I put you over my knee"

She blushed red in embarrassment before taking off, and blushed even worse after she passed him. Asuma looked on as she left-

" So, that was your girlfriend?"

He jerked in shock before turning to see Ino smiling coyly at Asuma and the other two regarding him with surprise.

" Ugh", Asuma was at a loss for words.

" Which means we're going to be seeing a lot of Team 11, probably in joint training sessions, since Naruto doesn't have any teammates to train with. Troublesome blondes"

"Hey!"

"*Munch* That is, if he ever gets out of that funk he was in. He looked miserable after lunch *Munch*

" I wonder why. He should have been jumping up and down that he became a genin...how did he even graduate anyways?¿", Ino asked in confusion.

They all looked at Asuma for an answer, " Err, that's for Naruto to tell you if he wants to, not me". Well, at least they got off the girlfriend subject.

*At the Academy*

Kurenai briskly walked down the academy halls, trying to find the classroom. When she found it, butterflies assaulted her stomach as she hesitated with the door handle. when she finally opened the door, the butterflies tuned to lead after catching sight of her student. He reeked of dejection, so much so that he didn't seem to notice she was there.

" You're late", a small voice echoed in the room. Oh, so he did notice her.

" I...don't make a habit of it. It was beyond my control".

" Oh", he acknowledged in the same tone, before his stomach provided a solution to the heavy atmosphere.

*GROWL*

"I'd like to make it up to you by taking you out to eat", she offered. It seemed to lift his spirits a bit.

"Okay", he answered as he got up, before he seemed to pause, "Uh, so where are we going...sensei?".

He seemed to be concerned about it. Instead of questioning it, Kurenai decided to give him the option.

" Why don't you pick", she answered to the surprise of Naruto.

*A while later*

Kurenai found herself at a small ramen shack on a side of town she hardly ventured. She was surprised. when she opted to let him pick, she expected at least a pricier sushi shop or something. But a ramen stand?

"Here you go", the waitress chirped as she set their orders down in front of them.

" Thanks Ayame-chan"

Oh? So he knew her.

" Not a problem Naruto...", the girl looked at Kurenai with a mischievous smile, " Ne, Naruto. Aren't you going to introduce your girlfriend?".

Both choked and sputtered.

" Ayame-chan! That's my sensei!", he cried out.

Ayame went wideeyed as her hands went over her mouth, " Ah! Gomen-nasai! I thought you were into mature women-"

"Ayame!"

"-of course not too mature, as she's still very young and pretty-"

"-I wasn't thinking that!-"

"-and would be a great catch for you-"

"-You're not helping!".

"Well someone had to break the ice, and you two mopey mutes sure weren't going to do it", she admitted with a smirk and a her hands on her hips. Both looked at her in surprise, before Naruto scratched the back of his head.

" Sorry. I've had alot on my mind since...graduating", he replied.

Kurenai pushed aside the previous scene as she concentrated on the conversation now, " Is it anything I can answer?".

Naruto regarded her with hesitation, " Uh, most likely, but I don't want to sound like I'm ungrateful or anything..."

" I won't judge you on it. It's best to get it out now instead of letting it linger", she assured him. She could see it as being a number of things, none of them too pleasant.

" Did...did I graduate because I learned about...it...inside me?"

She wasn't expecting that. Having problems with a female leader, sure. Questioning her competency after showing up so late, no problem. But this? As much as she hated to admit it, it was a valid question. Luckily, the waitress known as Ayame had went into the back to let them talk in private.

" I mean, with everything that happened that night, and then being put onto a team by myself...it kinda fits...like I'm a risk or something".

This...was the brash and headstrong kid she was told about?

" A couple pieces of a puzzle do not give you the entire picture, Naruto", the words that came out even surprised Kurenai a bit, but she continued while she had his attention.

" I'll admit, you knowing about it was part of the reason the Hokage gave for putting you on a team, but not exactly why you graduated..."

She gave him a soft glare " You graduated because you managed to learn an A-ranked kinjutsu from a scroll you stole from the Hokage Tower, and then used it to defeat a traitorous chunin", she held up her hand to forestall any arguments or comments, " Where "knowing about it" comes into place, is that usually, if there is an extra genin, they're sent back to the Academy for another year to be put into a team with that class, but that wasn't an option since the next class is nothing but civilians. they most likely would have shunned you, and you, knowing why, most likely would have resented them. He didn't want to do that to you".

She watched as Naruto nodded solemnly before she continued, " As for the team placement, you graduated after the teams were already formed, so he couldn't put you on an existing one, and I was the backup, so...he turned us into a team with two open spots", she finished, seeing insight in Naruto's eyes.

" So..we're leftovers thrown together to make a meal?".

Kurenai almost sweatdropped at the comparison, as accurate as it was, " I guess that's one way to put it".

Surprisingly, Naruto's mood seemed to be alot more upbeat.

" You don't really seem upset about it", she inquired as he at his cooling noodles.

" I'd rather be a leftover than what I was thinking I was. And I'm not on Sasuke-teme's team, so that's always a plus...I'm pretty sure I was supposed to be...It would have been nice to have some teammates though", he lamented. At least he wasn't depressed anymore.

" It's a team-in-progress. We'll have to find them as we go".

Naruto gave her a silent O before looking confused.

" Uh, one more question"

She looked at him as he seemed like he was trying to remember something.

" Umm...what's your name again?", he asked sheepishly.

Kurenai's eyebrows went up in surprise before realizing she never gave it.

"...Kurenai. Yuhi Kurenai, but call me Kurenai-sensei"

Naruto lit up with a smile, " Uzumaki Naruto, but you can call me Naruto", he replied as he held out his hand, which she shook.

" Well then Naruto, hopefully this team tuns out to be a success", she stated ruefully, to which he agreed. He finished gulping down his ramen before looking back to her.

" So. What happens next Kurenai-sensei?", he asked eagerly.

" If this was a full team, we would have had some sort of teamwork test. Obviously, we can't do that. So I think, tomorrow, we'll just settle for a skill evaluation. Meet e at training ground 8 tomorrow at 9 am". With that, she paid the tab and left with a wave, to which Naruto returned.

Things were quiet until he turned around to see Ayame looking at him with a coy smirk, " So, you're on a team alone with her? Lucky you", she nudged.

Naruto choked again, " I'd never think about something like that!".

" Eh? You wouldn't? I know I would. She's cute", she replied.

It only took a second for Naruto to process that, " Ayame!", he cried out indignantly.

" What? I can be curious", she defended with a pout. Naruto just wanted to crawl into bed before today got any weirder.

8

8

8

Kurenai's confidence lasted right up until she shut the front door of her apartment, where panic and doubt plagued her. She was making this up as she went. She evaluates his skills tomorrow...then what? Jounin were supposed to be well-rounded. She wasn't to that point yet, being fairly new in her higher-tier rank. When she was a chunin, her genjutsu and tracking skills got her through it all, but now?

Hell, even when her previous student was gifted in her specialty, she screwed up horribly. This one was a completely different scale!

This is how Asuma found her when he entered the apartment, pacing her living room while chewing on her thumbnail. Did she even know he was there?

His question was answered when she stopped and rounded on him with a punch to the shoulder.

" Oi! What the hell?", he complained lightly.

" That was for making me look like a deranged nut in front of you students", she argued.

" You didn't need my help with that. I'm sure half of Konoha saw your new look before I brought it to your attention", he countered as he crossed his arms.

Kurenai sighed. She hated it when he was right. She plopped onto the couch

Asuma looked at her curiously. She usually wasn't very expressive, unless she was stressed.

"What's wrong?", he asked.

Kurenai regarded Asuma, who had been a jounin long before she was. His skill set showed as much, having not only ninjutsu, but kenjutsu, taijutsu, some fuinjutsu, and the Sarutobi style of being able to break things down and figure them out.

She hated to say it, but she was a bit jealous.

" I was thinking about how I'm going to even start training Naruto", she admitted to him.

Asuma's surprise was visible, " Is that all you're worried about?", he asked with a bit of incredulity. It gained a glare from Kurenai, nonetheless.

" Is that all?¿ We're almost polar opposites, Asuma. I don't have the skills to teach him anything useful", she replied shortly. Not even Asuma had ever heard her yell, for even as long as he had known her, even when she was really mad. Instead, her speech became short, cold, and venemous.

Right now, she was just irritated. He was used to that.

" Do you know the basics?", he asked knowingly.

Her irritation became confusion, " The basics? That should be obvious", she retorted.

" Then you have plenty to teach him for now. Worry about specialties later, just like pops said"

Her confusion only grew, but her halted any questions by walking behind her.

" You'll figure it out tomorrow, trust me. For now, you look like you could use a backrub", he stated as he grabbed her shoulders.

She tried to resist, but damn did he know that exact spot. She conceded by melting.

8

8

8

Considering how late in the game I'm getting this in, I don't know how popular it will be...but then when the hell have I ever fucking cared? =D

Don't expect it to be updated too frequently, considering I'm so far behind on my main story. Speaking of which, if you read it, you'll have seen this coming *wink wink, twitch twitch cackle mumble mumble*


	2. Life Lessons

* The next day*

Kurenai waited in training ground 8, feeling refreshed after a proper night of sleep. She looked like it too.

It didn't help with her anxiety though. She still had a worry that she was going to prove useless.

Her worries were pushed aside as she heard snoring coming from behind a tree. She looked behind it to find Naruto sleeping up against the trunk. Well, this was a surprise.

She figured she could do three things. She could just wake him up, she could give him a wake up call and a harsh warning, or she could do something out of character and pull a nasty trick on him...

Since it was their first day, she just chose option A.

With a good flick to his forehead protector, the boy started stirring.

The first sight he saw when he opened his bleary eyes, was Kurenai staring right back.

" FUCK!", he cried as he jumped up and nearly out of his skin.

She was more surprised by the reaction to worry about the language he just used. He tried to keep his heart in his chest as he gulped for air.

"Ha-*pant*..Has anyone told you...you really look like ana Uchiha with their eye thingies?"

Ah...eh?, " More times than I can remember...but why would you react like that?"

" Uh...well they ran the KPF and...", he looked away, "...anyways, I'm ready to go Kurenai-sensei", he change the subject.

She could see where it was going, but since they were all gone except for one, it would be pointless to pry, " Good, but I expect you to be awake when I get here, otherwise I might get creative"

His sheepish look was enough of a response, " Now, were going to evaluate your skills to see where you excel and where you need improvement. Let's start with endurance"

6

6

6

*An hour later*

" Let's stop with endurance", she said a little bluntly. He had more endurance than any kid his age, and probably a lot of chunin as well, if his condition was anything to go by. He was only sweating.

Naruto was in front of her a moment later after doing his last crunch, " What now sensei?" he asked with enthusiasm.

Yeah, plenty of endurance.

" Let's move to taijutsu. We'll start with a spar", she said getting into a stance.

Then Naruto got into one, and her idea went in the toilet. Her stance wavered as she stared at him in dread, " That's...your stance?"

Naruto knew something was wrong, " Um...yeah? It's what I was taught in the Academy", he responded.

Kurenai's dread turned to anger in seconds, " Someone actually "taught" that to you? Who?", she asked with intent.

" Mizu...kiiii", Naruto trailed off as the dots connected.

" Who?"

" The teacher that tricked me into stealing that scroll", he grumbled.

Ah, so he did more than just turn traitor. Kurenai had a feeling it wasn't just his stance that was sabotaged.

" I..don't use it much"

Thank god for small miracles, " Then use what you usually do", she stated as she prepared again. This time, he got into a stance that she had seen in way too many bar fights, and while it was sloppy, it was less of a wreck than the last one. She decided to go with it and see how it went.

* 20 minutes later*

" Alright, that will be enough", she called.

She had already decided that his impromptu style would be easier to salvage than his academy "taught" form would, not that it was saying much. He did manage to land a hit on her though, his unpredictability being the reason, along with his sloppiness. He appeared to be chambering a kick, only for him to punch at her.

Luckily, she could attest that she was holding back, but not by as much as she had hoped. It was obviously time to ramp up her training again.

She regarded Naruto once again, " We...have a lot of work to do in that area...a lot".

Naruto had the decency to be humble, " That bad, huh?"

" Let's just say, we'll be improving your barfighter style and abandoning what Mizuki taught you completely".

" I trained really hard to try making it feel natural", he lamented.

" It was a waste of effort. It was like trying to make being stabbed with a knife feel natural...but it is admirable that you tried to improve what he taught you", she added, seeing his down expression, " Moving along. Next we'll look at your genjutsu skills"

" Alright...Um, Kurenai-sensei..what's genjutsu again?"

She cried on the inside.

After 30 minutes of explaining, and 10 minutes of checking to see if he could detect them, cast them, dispel them, she had come to the conclusion that he had no skills in it whatsoever.

Why was she his sensei again?

" ...Okay...you have no skills in genjutsu. I guess that means I'll be covering for that weakness until you can at least detect and dispel them", she compromised.

" So you know genjutsu?", Naruto asked in surprise.

" It's my field of expertise", she answered honestly

This confused Naruto, " I thought jounin were good at everything".

" Mediocre, yes. Good, no", she answered bluntly, " You're thinking of an elite jounin, like Hatake Kakashi, Team 7's sensei, who has been honing his skills for years. Most younger jounin have some skill in every field, but still major in one".

"Ohhhh!", Naruto replied..." Umm...what's mediocre?".

She was getting him a dictionary to study.

" Alright. Now for ninjutsu. I want a demonstration of what you have."

" Uh, okay", His fingers went into a sign, " Kage-bushin no jutsu!".

She knew he had it, but to see him use such a chakra extensive jutsu to make 5 of them and know he could make hundreds more made Kurenai a bit jealous. He then dispelled them and pulled out a shuriken. He threw it towards a grove of trees before making more handsigns.

" Shuriken kage bushin no jutsu!"

The single shuriken turned into over a dozen before hitting trees and cutting down foliage.

That, she didn't know he had.

" Did you learn that from the scroll as well?", she asked, gaining a nod and a sheepish scratch of the head.

" I only managed to memorize the handsigns before Iruka-sensei caught me. I had to work really hard to make it work", he proclaimed proudly.

Kurenai had to wonder if even the Hokage knew he had it. She pushed the thought aside as she regarded Naruto again.

" Is that all of them?"

" Well, I also know kawarimi and henge, and...err, that's all of them"

" You sound like you're hiding one"

Naruto waved his hands in front of him in defense, " You wouldn't want to see it. It's totally dumb anyways"

She gave him an admonishing look, " No skill is dumb in the shinobi world, if it has an applicable use"

" W-well it did knock out jiji-san when I took the scroll", he admitted.

Kurenai looked at him with surprise. It knocked out the Hokage? Now she had to know what it was, " I'm waiting", she replied while staring down Naruto

He finally buckled, " A-alright. But don't blame me if you don't like it", he warned as he did the sign for henge.

The next thing she knew, there was a naked blond woman blowing her a kiss.

This was the part where the person flew away in a torrent of blood, and totally didn't get a pissed off look on their face and start marching up to him with a vendetta.

This jutsu seem way less impressive now.

" What in the hell is *poke*-", Kurenai's verbal thrashing stopped before it could really start, as what was supposed to be a finger jab to the chest was interrupted by something that was supposed to be a simple illusion. Kurenai looked down in confusion and poked it again.

It was...real?

*poke..poke..grab-squish*

" How the hell are they real?", she mumbled in shock

"S-sensei", a voice strained out in discomfort. Kurenai realized what she was doing, and let go so quickly, it looked like she was shocked.

" Gomen-na-wait...you can feel it too?", she realized.

" Of course I can 'ttebayo!", he/she cried out in embarrassment as she/he hid from any other assaults.

Too much confusion ran through Kurenai's mind, " J-just change back already", she ordered, to which Naruto did with a blush still on his cheeks.

Questions upon questions ran through Kurenai's head. After failing to even solve one of them, she pushed it to the back of her mind so she could make her original point...with alot less steam

" Don't ever do that again. Do you have any idea how degrading that is to women?", she chastised, but by then Naruto already had a retort.

" But the Window Girls do a lot worse all the time, and everyone seems to like it".

Window Girls...the red light district?

" And why were you in the red light district?", she asked with folded arms.

" I live in it", he answered, surprised she didn't knows

A sigh left her. Of course he did. What a great place for a child to grow up, " Naruto. Those women are not respectable. They're prostitutes".

He gave her a knowing look, " I know what they are, but they're nicer to me than most of the "respectable" women in this village, and they don't do anything worse than a ninja does. We even had seduction classes for kunoichi and shinobi in the academy".

Now that was a solid argument. Apparently he wasn't just all energy. She also couldn't deny the resentment the "respectable" women of Konoha felt for Naruto, making them, in his mind, bad people. What a great job this place did in raising him. She just hoped one jutsu and comparing prostitutes to ninja...as strangely fitting as it was...was the extent of the damage.

" Just don't use it anymore, for my sake".

" I wasn't planning to. It doesn't work on most women and hopefully I'll have a lot more jutsu to fight with".

MOST women?¿ No, she was going to stick to the flow, " Err, we'll see", she responded.

Silence rose for an awkward moment before Naruto spoke up again, " So...what now Kurenai-sensei?".

" I don't have anything else planned for today. Now that I've seen your...abilities..I'll be figuring out how best to train you".

" Ah...umm, do you know when we'll be taking missions?", he asked while fidgeting.

She gave him a questioning look, " Sooner or later. Why do you ask?"

" Well, now that I'm a ninja, they stopped giving me my stipend".

Ah

" I see. I'll..have to look into that. I don't know if a two man genin team can even take up any missions. But I'm sure we can figure something out", she replied as she sighed mentally. She should have figured as much. This was going to take some thought. Usually, the teams worked on correlation and cooperation as a unit for the first couple weeks before even trying to take on D-ranks, but that was a moot point.

Before she could think any further on the subject, she noticed a familiar team walking into the field, along with their chain smoking teacher.

" Hey guys, take a look at the brand new Team 10".

Both of them looked. They looked tired...and dirty.

" To celebrate their new-found formation, I figured I'd take them out for barbaque"

Chouji's energy shot up in an instant, " Woohoo! Best sensei ever!"

" Then I figured I'd invite you two as well"

Naruto's stomach answered for the two as it grumbled to life, " Um, eheh. I could sure go for it", he replied sheepishly as everybody looked at him.

6

6

6

6

(At the barbaque restaurant)

As they waited for their order, the two teams conversed with eachother...well...more like Kurenai talked shop with Asuma as Ino grilled Naruto.

" So. What's your sensei like?", Ino interro-inquired

" Well...she seems likes she's really cool and collected, but I can't say too much about her yet...except that she looks a lot like an Uchiha and can be scary when she's mad 'ttebayo".

Ino's surprise was evident, " Eh?¡ How did you manage to make her angry already?"

Naruto brushed aside the jab, " She made me show her every jutsu I know...including the Orioke no jutsu".

Ino knew that one. she had seen it the day before the final exam afterall. She went beet red as she pointed an accusing finger at Naruto, " Well no wonder she got mad. That thing is perverted!".

" Is that why you blushed so hard when he did it at the academy?", Shikamaru mumble to her side as he tried staring out the window.

"..."

"..."

With Asuma and Kurenai

" Wow. That's a laundry list a mile long Kurenai"

Kurenai sighed, " I know. Both you and your father were right. The question is what do I start with first?"

" I am not a lesbian!"

"...Well, since he has so much chakra, start him off with chakra exercises before even worrying about ninjutsu. Taijutsu is...well I think you're right in just trying to get that brawler style into something that can actually work. Then have him spar with other students to figure out the weak spots. It doesn't matter if it looks like a bar fight, in fact, it may make an opponent underestimate him. Throw in some good moves and he might actually be better off than the universally known basic crap they teach at the academy. One thing, can he throw a kunai straight?"

"...I didn't test him on that", Kurenai admitted.

" Do it. With shadow clones, he'd be perfect for volley or suppression fire"

" Surprisingly, he learned Shuriken Kage Bushin too"

Asuma's eyebrows shot up, " Really? Then you get what I mean...but how did he learn two jutsu from the scroll in that little of time?"

Kurenai gave a subtle shrug, " He said he memorized the handsigns, then experimented with it until it worked"

"...Yeah. Definitely specializes in ninjutsu...But above all just do what you're good at. Observe him and figure out what he's lacking in."

Kurenai sighed, " I've already found a lack of vocabulary, and his moral guidance is...not guidance at all...did you know he's living in the red light district?", she asked with an inquisitive stare.

Asuma fidgeted with his cigarette, " Yeah...pops said it was the least hostile part of Konoha to put him into...hell if I wasn't a frequent customer of this restaurant...", he left it up to Kurenai's imagination.

The sigh that came from Kurenai was heavy, " I get it"

"...Another thing", he remembered. Kurenai looked at him curiously.

" If he has questions, make sure they get answered. If he looks like he has questions, make sure he knows he can come to you with them".

"...That's it?"

" That's it. I can't teach him for you Kurenai-"

" Die!"

"...though, I think I can lend a sparring partner every once in a while", he added as they looked at Ino, who was busy arm strangling her teammates while Naruto tried horribly to keep from laughing.

Then Kurenai remembered Naruto's other problem, " One other thing Asuma. Is it possible for us to take missions with two members missing?"

Asuma gave her a questioning look, " I don't see why not, for D-ranks at least, but why would you want to?"

" As soon as Naruto became a ninja, they ceased his stipend"

Asuma grumbled, " Bunch of bureaucratic assholes. One of my team mates had to crash with me for two months for the same reason. Start taking them as soon as you can, otherwise he might have to do the same thing".

And it was obvious who he'd have to stay with. Their orders finally showed up, distracting the genin, especially Ino, who had moved herself to the other side of the table to "punish her team mates with the lack of her presence", which consequently gave her a better shot at their shins.

" Nani?¡ You didn't have to take a teamwork test?¡"

" It'd be kinda hard to take one without team mates!"

" That doesn't matter! We had to spend the whole day trying to catch our sensei, you should have to go through the same torture!"

" You probably just stood back while Chouji and Shikamaru did all the work!"

" I was commanding them!"

" Oh, is that what you call it?"

" GRRR!"

" Hey you two, Save it for when you're sparring in a few days", Asuma interrupted.

"**...SPARRING?**"

" Yeah. Since Naruto doesn't have any team mates, you're going to be his taijutsu partner Ino"

" **EHH?¡**"

" So both of you clam up and eat"

They managed to stay quiet...for a minute, before they started fighting over the food, much to Shikamaru's and Chouji's dismay. Kurenai could only be grateful the two weren't put on a team together. No one deserved that kind of torment, not even the enemy.

It did lead Kurenai to do the one thing she was very good at. Observe.

6

6

As soon as Team 10 left, he went from loud and expressive to clamming up while following behind her. This could mean so many things. He became more expressive in crowds? He wasn't comfortable around her yet? He was being respectful? She couldn't tell. He did seem a little more aware of his surroundings though. In the whisp of an idea, she decided to find out how much.

" You seem to like arguing with the young Yamanaka"

Naruto twitched in surprise from her voice a little bit before responding, " Well, she's been picking on me since we started the academy. I used to take it at first, but then I started picking on her back...*sigh* now she does it all the time", Naruto grumped.

'And, yet, she moved to your side of the table to do it', Kurenai thought in amusement.

" Hey! That's not funny!", he complained. Ah, so he caught onto that. He had excellent observational skills if he could see the ghost of a smirk she displayed..but it seemed like he didn't use them all the time.

" Gomen. It's just amusing that you two like arguing with eachother so much that you've done it for years".

" I do not", Naruto huffed.

" I'll let you figure that out. But one thing I want to address is your awareness of the things going on around you, your observation skills. You seem to use them sometimes, but not all the time"

Naruto seemed offended, " I do to use them all the time 'ttebayo"

Kurenai quirked an eyebrow for show, " Oh? So you were intentionally following me into a woman's clothing store? You didn't even blink or pause."

Naruto did a double take before looking. Indeed they were about to walk into a woman's..."clothing" store.

" Your ability to be aware of everything around you is the backbone of being a ninja. It can give you an exit in a bad situation, help you avoid one alltogether, an advantage in a fight, or a clue in a mystery. Without them, you are blind to the world. With them, you see more than the world".

Naruto looked at her in confusion, " Uh, that sounds cool and all, but I don't know how to make them any better".

Kurenai thought on that. She might have found the first the she could solely teach him, " Well, the first thing to do is be aware of your surroundings, even when your attention is on something or someone else. Then there's observing the people around you, their features, their moods and mannerisms"

"Uh, Maneurisms?"

" Mannerisms. Peoples attitudes, quirks, views. Like how you say "dattebayo" sometimes, distinguishes you from other people"

For some odd reason, Naruto blushed, " I've been trying to kick the habit 'tteb-*cough*. How will all that help me being a ninja?"

" More than you know. Knowing exactly how a person looks and acts can tell you if that person is an imposter trying to infiltrate your team to kill or capture you, hiding something, or even going to turn traitor..."

Naruto was looking at her wideeyed before remembering what happened with Mizuki

"..couple that with paying attention to your surroundings and you can tell if you're trapped in a genjutsu, going into an area filled with traps, or walking into an ambush"

Naruto was in awe," Can you teach me how to be better at it?"

Kurenai thought about that, " I may be able to, among other things...which reminds me-", she remembered what Asuma said, "-if you have any questions, ask them. I know most of the teachers ignored you. I also know there were alot of things you were supposed to learn...growing up that you were never able to. I won't judge, and I'll try to answer them as best I can".

Naruto seemed to think about that before nodding,

" Alright then. I'll see you in the training ground at the same time tomorrow, hopefully awake this time", she poked.

" Hai. See you tomorrow Kurenai-sensei!", he proclaimed as he departed.

Kurenai looked on with a ghost of a smile. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

" Ah, the teacher-student bonding process. What a beautiful thing", A very familiar voice proclaimed teasingly behind her. She let out a groan to see a purple haired nuisance grinning like a cheshire cat.

" Anko, what are you doing here?"

" I was shopping in my favorite lingerie shop when I spied you and the blonde kid talking outside. Check out what I bought!", She chirped as she held up the flimsy amalgamation of frills and lace.

She could see Anko through it...and there were holes in places...strategically placed holes.

" Anko! Don't show that off in public", Kurenai admonished shortly. Anko just waved it off.

" Mah mah. It's not like I'm wearing it...though that might help my relationship status. So, who are your other two cute little students?"

Kurenai sighed, she seemed to do that alot around Anko," I only have the one Anko"

" Nani?¡ Why? Didn't they trust you with a full team?¿".

" He graduated late, and the rest of the teams were filled".

" Why didn't they just send him back to the Academy for another year?"

Kurenai regarded Anko, " You do know who he is right? Uzumaki Naruto?". She could see the recognition pop up onto Anko's face, "-So, do you think you could take another year of cold stares and whispering?".

It was the perfect question for the right person. Anko's upbeat attitude took a dive. Of course she couldn't. There was a reason the two polar opposites were friends, and it wasn't a happy one.

" That bad, huh?", Anko asked solemnly.

" Enough that the Hokage put him on his own team. I still have to find two more".

Anko nodded...then perked up, spying something that could cheer her up.

" Take this!", she exclaimed as she shoved the lingerie into Kurenai's hands, then ran away.

Kurenai was caught up in the confusion...until Asuma jumped down in front of her.

" Hey Kurenai. I forgot to set up a time...for...Inooo...", he was staring down at the items in Kurenai's hands. Both turned beet red as Kurenai cursed up a storm at Anko in her mind.

Asuma scratched his cheek as he looked away, " Sooo...when do I get to see you wear that?"

Cursing went up ten fold.


	3. Trust Exercises

Kurenai stood in the middle of the training field. She had spent most of the previous evening writing out a training regimen that would start her student one the right track. Then, she had spent an hour this morning implementing one of her ideas to hone Nauto's observational skills.

First lesson: Be aware of your surroundings.

How was her first lesson going to work? Quite simple. She had booby-trapped the field.

Nothing lethal. of course, immobilization only, but it would do the trick. As expected, Naruto finally showed up...only to run straight into a trip wire and fall flat on his face.

Kurenai was learning something as well. Naruto had a _very_ colorful vocabulary...more than she had heard before.

Once he got back up, he looked down at the trip wire and then at her as she watched with a quirked eyebrow. He started towards her again, only to nearly step on another tripwire. He jumped back next to the tree he was by...only to land in a snare and get hoisted up by his leg.

"Kurenai-sensei! I need some help here!", he shouted as he thrashed around uselessly after cursing up another storm. Now it was time to give him the first bit of advice. She shunshinned up to the tree and looked up at him.

" If you almost fall into a trap, don't move, think."

Naruto looked at her with confusion until he replayed the words in his head. She was already training him?

"Uh, okay. Can you let me down now?"

" Repeat that phrase twenty times and I will", she replied as she crossed her arms, waiting for him to start.

" Uh. If I almost fall into a trap, don't move, think. If I almost fall-", Kurenai listened as he repeated it over and over as her eyes darted over the rest of the trek to her original location. She had a feeling she'd be getting him out of traps, at least, twice more.

Once he finished, she let him down. When he got up, he found her right back where she was originally.

Not even a dozen seconds later, she was looking up at him again.

" If you fall into a trap, don't think, move."

Naruto looked confused before realizing the difference from the first piece of advice. Not having to be told twice, he started repeating it. A while later, he was let down again to find Kurenai right back where she was.

He was still 80 yards away!

Kurenai kept watching as he used the first two pieces of advice to weave through the traps and dodge the ones he set off, all the while thinking of the lesson she would be teaching as soon as he got there.

He finally made it out of the trees and into the clearing. He sighed in relief...and fell into a tiger pit.

" When you think you are clear is the most dangerous time of all. Don't THINK you are clear, KNOW you are clear."

Naruto sighed before repeating it just like the last two times.

8

8

8

"So, what were the first two lessons?", she asked as he brushed the dirt off of himself.

" If you almost fall into a trap, don't move, think."

" And what does that mean?"

Naruto had to think about that, but Kurenai waited patiently.

" If you haven't set off the trap...think out your next step or your could end up in another trap?"

Kurenai nodded in approval," Many trap specialists try to think out their victim's next step if one trap is seen. Possibly, even, next ten steps. You need to think about where other dangers might be by checking your surroundings before you make the next step."

" But, then, how do you avoid setting off other traps when you're dodging one that you have set off?"

Good, he was questioning instead of just listening.

" First, what was the second piece?"

"If you fall into a trap, don't think, move."

" And that means..."

Naruto shrugged, " If you set off a trap, get out of there before it gets you."

Kurenai nodded, " Too many times, I've seen someone look down in confusion at what they just tripped and get caught in the aftermath. You don't wonder " What that sizzling noise?" or "What just clicked?" Your only thought should be "MOVE" as you do so. Now, where your question comes into play is the next step. Check where you're going to land. Say both of them together."

Naruto did just that " If you fall into a trap, don't think, move, and check where you're going to land." It made sense.

Once he finished, she elaborated, " Jumping from an activated trap is common sense, but you might land on another one. You need to know where you're landing, and on what, so you can either be prepared to jump away from it, or try to avoid it entirely", she explained. " Now, the last one is the most important", she cued.

" When you think you are clear, is actually the most dangerous time of all. Don't THINK you are clear, KNOW you are clear", Naruto recited. Seemed to be sticking in his head pretty well.

She nodded, " Historically, one of the major causes for fatality of ninja is when they let their guard down, which you did when you got into the clearing. Remember what I said about trap experts trying to figure out your next steps? They will also try to feign you into thinking you are safe, so you fall into an unexpected trap. Not just trap experts either, all shinobi use this tactic for various means. Now, think of the consequences of setting off those traps."

"Consequences?¿", Naruto asked in surprise.

" Do you think an enemy is going to use nothing but non-lethal traps?", she asked rhetorically as she picked up a branch as thick as a leg.

" Take, for instance, if that first tripwire had been one of-", she dropped the branch vertically onto some freshly turned soil, only for the soil to fly up in the air as two vicious looking steel jaws snapped onto the branch in a crunch of splinters, almost going straight through. "-these".

Naruto had landed on his ass as soon as it snapped, " What the hell?¡"

Good reaction.

" This, is a type of trap that originated in Bear Country, so you can imagine what it was initially used for. It was only a little while after it's invention that someone realized it would also be great for shinobi as well, with a little modification of course."

She started pointing and listing.

" The steel is thicker, and can be reinforced from jutsu with seals, if the user has the knowledge to do so. Once it's clamped on, the jaws lock in place, requiring a special tool to get them open again, and that's after you press the spring back down with a vice. Also, notice the spikes welded on, curving inwards to prevent the victim from pulling their leg free, which is why it doesn't sever the leg entirely. It is also-", she pulled on the branch, pulling the trap out by only a few inches before it became taught by a chain anchored into the ground, " -anchored, meaning you're stuck there until you either die, get it free, or gain enough resolve to cut your own leg off. These were used extensively in the Third Shinobi War by Iwa. Care to guess where I got this one?"

Naruto didn't get it for a while, until, on a hunch, he looked down at her legs. There were slight circular scars across her left lower shin.

"...ouch"

" Very much so. Especially when I went from sprinting to a dead stop in an instant. Luckily, my team was able to break the chain and I was brought back to a field hospital where they were able to pry it off. Many weren't as lucky, which brings me to my last point. If you fall into a trap, you not only put yourself in danger, you put everyone around you in danger as well."

"Should I repeat that?"

"Yes"

Once he was done, she continued, " By setting off or falling into a trap, you put every one around you at risk. The trap might be explosive, or poison gas, or there could be multiple traps for your squad mates to fall into now that their attention is on you. It can also alert an enemy where you are so they can form an ambush. And it almost always leaves your squad vulnerable, sitting in one place as they either try to get you out, or worse. These are the consequences of falling into traps. One of the many reasons to be aware of your surroundings".

It was like a lightbulb went off in his head, but then he replayed her words in his head, " One of many?".

" We'll get to the other reasons as the days go. Be ready for whatever I throw your way, and don't expect them to only be here. One of my many goals is to raise your awareness and observe your surroundings more closely, so it would be a moot lesson if you only expect them in the training field."

"...H-hai...so, are we going to go through it more?"

Kurenai shook her head, " We have a lot of things I need to cover with you today, so we'll have to get back to it tomorrow. Right now, I want to see how well you can throw a kunai, so follow me.", She answered as she started walking to another part of the field.

" Hai, Kurenai-senSEI!", she heard him say as he fell into another tiger pit. She stopped and trekked back to the new hole in the ground.

" I forgot to mention that, even though the lesson is on hold, does not mean I won't be testing you on it."

"...I'm not going to get a moment's peace, am I?"

" Sure you will, when you stop falling into all these traps", she quipped as she pulled him out. "Remember the advice I gave you and pay attention to the things around you, even if your attention is on something else."

" It's kinda hard to do both at on-ce...", he almost fell into another pit when they started walking again.

"And, yet, you're getting better at it."

" You didn't booby-trap the whole field, did you?"

"That would be telling."

Naruto groaned as he tried to keep up, avoiding, what looked alot like, one of those buried bear traps...nah. They approached a wooden post with a target on it.

" Alright. I should have tested you on this yesterday, but I want to see your accuracy. Along with kunai, use shuriken as well please."

She watched as he lined them up and let them fly. She saw a problem the minute he picked them up. He ate with his right hand, so that was obviously his dominant one, yet he was throwing with his left. She was expecting abysmal results, so image her surprise when they hit home with fairly good accuracy.

" How was that?", Naruto asked with a hint of pride.

" Pretty good, actually. Though, why aren't you using your right hand to throw?"

Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but them paused and sighed, " Mizuki said it had to be left handed...guess I'm the one with the last laugh."

"Yes you are. He made you ambidextrous, though, you must have trained extensively to do it."

Naruto nodded, " Yeah, a lot actually...amba...dextrose?"

He found a dictionary in front of his face, " Look it up", Kurenai prompted.

It was a minute later, Naruto let out an, "Ohhhh. Why are there a bunch of words in here that are highlighted?"

" Those are the ones you are going to study on your own, and I will be testing you on it every now and then, but back to the original subject, you are also going to be practicing with your right hand."

He looked up at her with a questioning look, " So I can throw with both hands?", he clarified.

"It would be a useful advantage, don't you think?"

" Well...yeah...so practice that as well?"

"On your own time, yes...well, actually we have a little time before I planned to start the next lesson, so let's work on it".

They did just that. Since it was his naturally dominant hand, it only took a while before he started actually hitting the target.

" The rest is just repetition and practice", she stated as she watched him throw the last shuriken.

She looked back down at Naruto when she didn't receive and answer to find him reading the dictionary.

" Ohhh! Hai, Kurenai-sensei."

She wore and amused smile, " Just make sure you study it so you don't have to pull it out all the time."

She received a vigorous nod.

" So...what's the next lesson?"

" Something you really...really need my help with...taijutsu"

"That shouldn't take long"

"..."

Kurenai watched as Naruto practiced a move over and over. It was the first out of three she would have him practicing from her own taijutsu. She was basically splicing practiced moves into his...style..by observing his movements while fighting his clones, finding positions he used regularly, figuring out what attack or defense could be switched into that position, and integrating it into the movements.

If Gai ever saw what she was doing, she held no doubt she'd never hear the end of the "unyouthfullness" of it all, but she didn't have the skill to try and rework his whole form, and Gai had his own team to worry about. Yeah, that's the reason she didn't want him within 20 feet of her student.

In her defense, what was coming out of it was surprisingly tricky, seeing him going through rough movements only to snap into a well executed high kick that could leave someone with a broken neck...well...ribs in Naruto's case. He was very short for his age, so she had to wonder what his eating habits were like. They couldn't be too good because he lacked the one thing kids needed to get them to eat healthy. But back to the task at hand.

" Alright Naruto, that will be enough for taijutsu today."

This time, Naruto looked less eager, " Aww, but I was learning some cool moves."

" And you will continue to, but next is something that you also need to work on. Chakra control."

She was mildly amused when a sick look came to his face, " Chakra control? You mean sticking leaves to my forehead? Bleagh! I don't need that stuff."

Obviously, he was warming up to her.

" Oh? Then make 3 shadow clones"

*Poof*

"That's four"

*Poof*

"Six"

*Poof*

"Four again"

" I'm gonna get it this time!" *Poof*

"Seven"

*Poof*

" Ten"

"This time for sure!"

*Poof*

" Nope", One clone of eight mocked.

" Be quiet. You're not helping!"

The clone harumphed, " It's not our fault your chakra control sucks ass", the rest of the clones agreed with him.

Naruto slumped in defeat, " So...about that leaf sticking?"

Kurenai shook her head, "That exercise only works on someone with small chakra reserves, like regular academy students. You, on the other hand, have large chakra reserves, so you'll have to start with exercises that require manipulating large amounts of chakra and make your way down. It's too bad your teachers didn't notice, though I think if they were better attuned to chakra signatures, you wouldn't have been able to pull off as many pranks as you did", she poked with a hint of a smirk, which made Naruto sheepish.

" So-", she continued,"-we are going to start off with the tree climbing exercise."

Naruto looked skeptical until she walked up to a tree, walked up the tree, and walked under the branch of a tree, then looked back down to see his gawking face.

"You start by laying down by a tree a putting your heels against it. You then channel chakra to the soles and find a level that allows your feet to stick enough to hold your weight. The last step is to run up the tree with that amount of chakra applied."

Naruto looked confused, " Why run and not walk like you did?"

" A very good question. It would seem like walking would be easier, but one thing makes it harder, actually.", she started as she walked back to the trunk, " Gravity still applies on your body, so while you're walking up the tree, gravity is trying to pull you back down, and while the chakra you apply to your feet reinforces your ankles as well, your calf muscles need to be able to take the weight, otherwise-", she bent backwards as she let gravity win, making her flush with the trunk and looking upside-down at Naruto, "-this will happen."

"So...it's not just a chakra exercise, it's some super pull-up?"

Kurenai couldn't help it. The chuckle came too fast for her to suppress, " Basically. Running up the tree allows you to get the control down first while your momentum keeps you from falling backwards too easily, but you will be practicing it daily until you can leisurely walk up the tree at the pace I displayed, but for now, find a tree and start with the first step."

He saluted and ran for another tree, stopped suddenly, and avoided a snare. He seemed to be taking her lessons to heart. He found another tree and started.

She let him practice it until two in the afternoon. Most genin would have been exhausted hours ago. Endurance and chakra were strong in this one. More surprisingly, was his progress up the tree. He was already half way up. Sure she knew giving him step by step instructions would speed up the process, but not to this extent. There was talent there.

It's too bad Iruka didn't see it. One of the many cons of the Academy was having one or two people try to teach more than two dozen students at a time. Even worse was the cookie cutter style they did it in to pump shinobi out into the system. A lot of kids didn't learn well under such a system, which is why it had such a horrendous failure/dropout rate. Sure, it leads to having more ninja, but when it nearly fails a kid with a bijuu sealed within him and high chakra reserves, there's something wrong with the status quo.

In most cases, and possibly Naruto's, alot of students just needed personal instruction. She'd find out as the days progressed if she was right.

" Alright Naruto, let's call it a day for training. Otherwise there might not be anything left at the mission hall."

As soon as she said that, he skidded to a stop from his run at the tree and was in front of her with the most excitement she had seen thus far.

" Like a mission? An actual mission? A mission where we rescue people? Like princesses, or feudal lords, or stuff like that? Or-"

She looked down at him with a perplexed expression as she talked a thousand miles an hour.

What? Was he storing all his excess energy or something?

She felt she better rein him in before he started reenacting the Third Shinobi War.

" Hai hai. Now please stop jumping around."

" But I finally get to do cool missions and stUFF!"*THUD*

Kurenai walked up to the hole, " You sure seem to like finding these tiger pits, don't you?"

"...Yeah...can you help me out?"

"Are you going to stop acting like a lunatic?"

"...Hai.."

Kurenai sighed as she pulled him out.

8

8

8

8

*A few hours later*

Ahh...what a glaring problem.

"It ran over here!"

"Grab it idiot!"

"Watch what you're shoving!"

"Get outta my way!"

They had gotten to the mission office a little too late, and there was only one mission left to take. Catch that thrice-damned cat.

It was amusing to see the reality hit Naruto of just what he would be getting for missions for the time being, just like it was for all teachers, who had to go through the same thing once upon a time. Especially for this mission.

Then, Naruto got the idea to use his clones as backup.

" I got it!"

"That's my leg you idiot!"

"Then get your leg out of the way!"

" Why don't you make me!"

The problem was, there was no coördination between them...at all...In fact, now they're fighting eachother.

After a handful of seconds passed, Kurenai stuck her fingers into her mouth and let out the loudest noise the woman had ever produced in a while. All the Narutos stopped their brawl to look at where the whistle came from, only to see Kurenai staring right back at them.

" Are you done beating yourself up?"

Naruto could hear the irk in her voice.

" Because it seems we should have done team exercises after all. I just never thought someone couldn't even work with themselves", she lectured as she crossed her arms. Naruto knew a dressing down when he heard one, but this one stung. She didn't need to glare for it to be a glare, and she didn't need to raise her voice for it to be a tongue lashing.

"S-sorry Kurenai-sensei. They just do whatever they want like they have a mind of their own."

"A mind of our own..", one clone chuckled sarcastically, " It's your mind we have, dumbass." Naruto made to argue, but Kurenai cut him off.

" Your clone is right. They have your mentality, your memories, and your attitude. So why do you think they're not working with you?"

" Because he can't stand himself! HAHAHA*BAM**POOF*", the clone heckled before getting hit with the blunt end of a kunai and dispelling, courtesy of Kurenai. The other clones wisely shut their mouths.

She just decided to get to the point, " When you make clones, what are you thinking as you do it? A plan? A goal?"

Naruto thought about it before scratching his head, " The only thing I really think of is making them."

"And there lies your problem", Kurenai stated. She didn't know the technique, but she did see it enough to know how it was implemented, and how they might work.

"Try this. Dispel the rest of your clones, and then make a new batch, but, this time, concentrate on them fully obeying you, and don't doubt that they won't. They are not people, Naruto, they are you."

He looked doubtful before a cleared throat and a stare made him realise that was exactly his problem. So, he concentrated on making them follow his orders to the letter. With a few poofs, four new clones came into existence and stared at Naruto. Boy, did they looked serious...wait. They were waiting for orders! He froze in the moment until he realized he was doing it again and started thinking of a plan.

" Alright, here's what we're going to do..."

Kurenai watched as they went after the cat again. It was a big change. Still rough and unrefined, but a major improvement over what was happening the first time. It was only a half an hour later that-

"GOTCHYA!"

"MEOW!"

"OWOWOWOWOW!¡"

...She decided to save her student before the cat tore his face off.

*At the Mission Office*

Kurenai watched as the Daimyo's wife squeezed that cat to death, just like she had with every cat before this one, until they ultimately ran away in the right direction and were never seen again in Fire Country.

"No wonder it ran away", Naruto muttered after she left, " I would have clawed someone's face off to get away from that death sentence too"

" It's the same reason I had the mission when I was a genin." Kurenai replied.

"...She'll never learn, will she?", Naruto groaned.

" Nope...which is why we have the mission 4 to 5 times a week", the Hokage joined in as he puffed his pipe.

" And so I have to do it for my first mission?", Naruto huffed.

" Think of it as payback for what you taught my grandson", Hiruzen replied while peering at Naruto with accusation.

Naruto flinched before hazarding a look at his sensei, who was looking back down at him with a questioning stare.

" You..taught...the Hokage's grandson something?"

Naruto waved his hands defensively in front of him, " Uh, just a prank he could use on people. You know, get a rise out of them"

" You seriously did not just say that", the Hokage grumbled.

"What?", Naruto asked in confusion.

"...Nevermind. Mission accomplished. Money's doled out. Let's call it a day", the Hokage sighed.

Kurenai decided it was better left unknown and ushered her student out of the office.

"So, next time tomorrow Sensei?"

"Actually, there's something that's been picking at my mind since we finished the mission. We're going back to the training field for a while."

"...Eh?"

8

8

8

*At the training field, a little while and a snare trap later*

Naruto grumbled to himself as he rubbed his sore leg, " Stupid snare traps. What are we going to do this late at night?", Naruto asked a little grumpily. The sun was setting afterall.

" It's a theory that I wanted to test. Do you remember the clone that was insulting you during the mission?"

Naruto looked confused, " Err, yeah. He was being an ass. Why?"

" Exactly, he was being cruel and brash. Do you usually act like that? Maybe some cold bitterness lies behind that face?"

" No! I never act like that."

" Which is why we're here. You said you were just concentrating on making the clones. You gave them no goals, no objectives, no purpose. A being with no purpose and a very finite...short exsistence, and your memories and thoughts...I want you to make a clone while thinking of nothing."

Naruto looked at her like she had gone off her rocker, and only on the second day! Regardless, he cleared his mind and made a clone, surprising even himself when it was just one clone that popped up.

They both looked at the clone, which seemed to do the trick. The clone narrowed it's eyes at the two, " What the fuck are you retards looking at?"

Naruto choked, " T-that's our sensei you moron!"

The clone scoffed, " YOUR sensei, reject, not mine. Though, I wonder why she took the village outcast as a student? Was she ordered to, or did she just take pity on the butthurt little failure-"

Kurenai had to physically restrain Naruto from destroying his clone as he shook with anger, though the clone didn't even flinch even with the fist a few inches from his face.

" Awww, did I hit a nerve?" the clone mocked.

" You sure don't act like your creator." Kurenai grumbled as she kept holding back Naruto.

" What insight, Captain Obvious. Though with a Jounin the same age as her boytoy and half the skill, I guess I shouldn't expect much."

"..."

"Aww, I struck another nerve. It's too bad your glare isn't half as scary as the Uchiha's, you wannabe*POOF*"

She heard enough. Instead of killing it herself, she just let go of Naruto, who gladly did it for her.

" I never said any of that! I never even thought any of that!", he yelled at himself, mostly.

" You didn't. The clone did...", Kurenai retorted as she got a lid on her composure. That stung afterall. "...make another one, please", she finally requested.

Naruto looked at her in shock, " The last one just-"

" Don't worry about it Naruto. Just make another one."

Naruto was quiet for a while, until he finally conceded and did just that.

As soon as the clone formed, it put on a coy smirk and put it's hands in the ram sign. A poof later, it turned into Naruto's...Orioke no jutsu...luckily with clothes.

Any relief Naruto was feeling was lost on Kurenai as he palmed his face, " What the hell are you doing?" he complained at the clone.

" Just getting into a form you like Go-sha-jin-sa-ma", the clone punctuated as he...she...it strutted up to Naruto, swaying hips and all.

Naruto and Kurenai's eyes both widened. What the hell was going on?

The clone got right up to Naruto, " I'm surprised you haven't tried having sex with me yet. After all, I have all the right parts, and it would just be masturbation in the end...or the front, heehee."

"W..wh-what?"

"Don't tell me you're too embarrassed because I remind you of what you originally designed me to be. Buuu, just think of it as a very...taboo...night of passion." the clone wrapped it's arms around Naruto's neck as it talked in a sultry tone.

" S-stop. Stop talking! Dispel!"

" Awww, what's wrong? Aren't I sexy enough for you? Or...oh...maybe you want me to look like _her_. I know you get turned on by the-*Poof*" Naruto jabbed the...clone...with a kunai.

" No more. I can't do that anymore. Who knows what else will pop out." Naruto declared as the smoke dissipated, his gaze hard.

Kurenai shook herself out of her stupor and surmised what was happening.

" I apologize for putting you through this Naruto. But I think I know what's going on."

" Really? Please tell me." he practically begged. He had just tried to seduce himself after all.

" Simply put, those clones were playing to your inner feelings".

Naruto stared at her blankly," ...What?"

Kurenai elaborated, " The first clone was obvious. By not concentrating on the clone, you let the jutsu just randomly copy something from your mind as the personality instead of just your actual personality, in this case, your anger and doubt."

" So why would it say those things? I never thought anything like that about your or...well at least you"

" He was your doubts and anger in a physical form Naruto, with all of your memories and thoughts as weapons. Combined with the knowledge that his time was short and had no purpose in life, he used your own knowledge and doubts to hurt you...us."

Naruto was silent. "...That's heavy", Naruto finally spoke up.

" It is", she agreed simply. She could only imagine what a similar clone of her would say...

"...And that last one..."

"...Ah...that would most likely be your...lust...mixed with other things I'm sure you don't want me to intrude on." she replied with a red face. After all...a similar clone of her..." But it proves a point, that there's more danger to this jutsu than just the chakra needed. You need to concentrate on your clones at all times when making them, otherwise you might have one that haphazardly divulges sensitive information, or slows down your progress, physically or emotionally hurt friends, or possibly even get you killed...there's a worse outcome as well."

" Like if the Kyuubi somehow managed to Shanghai a clone?"

Kurenai's eyebrows shot up, " I'm...surprised you thought of that."

Naruto shrugged, " If it copies things I don't really want people seeing..who knows what it could do."

" That's a good point. You wouldn't have happened to read anything about the jutsu past the description and instructions by chance?"

"Um...no.", he admitted.

" I'll have to see if I can get a look at it then. Without knowing the full capabilities and drawbacks of a jutsu, you put yourself in danger. As for the possibility of the Kyuubi influencing one of your clones, I highly doubt it since it's not in your head for the jutsu to copy...is it?" she sounded so confident until the final part.

Naruto's expression screwed up in thought as he physically expressed searching himself. Then his eyes shot open.

" I think it is!"

Kurenai's eyes widened.

" It keeps saying "RAMEN! RAMEN!"

Kurenai's relaxed and shot an irked look at Naruto.

" That's not the Kyuubi"

*GROWL*

" See?¡ It growled at us!" he pointed at his stomach. " Help me sensei! Help me feed the beast before it's free again!"

" Goodnight, Naruto", Kurenai dismissed as she started walking away.

" Awww, but I'm hungry...well, I guess I can boil down the paste into soup from the wallpaper on the north side this time, I never liked the floral print anyw-"

An arm grabbed his shoulder and started dragging him.

8

8

8

8

*At Ichiraku's*

"Please tell me you were joking", Kurenai complained as they sat at the counter

" Err...Did you want me to say I'm joking or-"

"-Nevermind. Wallpaper paste?"

" Well I ran out of money last week, and ran out of food yesterday, especially after they shut off the power because my bill is overdue. I had to clear out my fridge because it was all bad. The last time I had to eat it is when all the bills aligned in one week and I couldn't buy food."

Kurenai pinched her nose, " How big could your bills be that you can't afford food all the time?"

" They're enormous! It doesn't help that all the appliances are ancient and suck power like an Akimichi does food. The last time I tried using the microwave, the power meter looked like it was going to melt! Even the water heater is electric, and you have to run the water for 20 minutes before it even gets hot, so my water bill is astronomical too." he complained.

She had a hard time believing it, but then she lived in a newer apartment building. The side of town Naruto lived in was old, as in founding-of-the-village old. Maybe she should look into it.

" So how long will it take you to catch up?"

" Umm. Three to four days until I have enough money to get my power back."

"...three to four days?¿ How much is this bill?"

" Well, it was 8,000 ryou (around 800 bucks) last month"

Kurenai's shock was evident as she gaped at Naruto. That was over five times what she paid! She was definitely looking into this.

Until then.

" Here's your orders. One miso for the sensei, and one vegetable for the skinny student", Ayame joked.

Naruto looked at it incredulously, " Vegetable?¿ Why not beef or Miso?"

Kurenai broke her chopsticks as she retorted," Do you ever wonder why you're shorter than other kids your age?"

"...because I eat wallpaper paste?"

" Besides that"

"Err...I'm guessing it has something to do with vegetables?"

" Precisely. While ramen is good on occasion, it doesn't have any of the nutrients a boy your age needs to grow."

Naruto opened his mouth to retort, but Ayame piped up, " She's right you know. If I ate this stuff all the time when I was a kid, I'd be as short as you."

Naruto looked at her in disbelief, then looked at Teuchi in the back to see him nod, " Nothing but empty calories and salt. Can't deny it." he admitted.

Ack. Even the owners of the store were siding with his sensei.

" Shouldn't you two be defending your own products?", Naruto retorted.

" Naruto, we cherish you as more than a good customer. So we also want to see you grow strong...and you're not going to do that on Ramen and wallpaper paste. The vegetable ramen doesn't even have that many more nutrients in it. You need more fruits and vegetables. Good heaps of protein too", Teuchi admitted.

Naruto pouted. They acted like he ate it all the time, " And where am I supposed to get this miracle food?", Naruto grumbled as he started on his ramen.

Ayame looked at him incredulously, " The same place you get all your other food."

Naruto looked at her in confusion, " The vending machines?"

"...", All three looked at him in confusion.

" You mean...all your instant ramen and other stuff is from...vending machines?", Ayame mumbled in shock.

" Well, yeah. None of the grocery stores want my business. So I just buy stuff out of the vending machines around Konoha. They sell alot of things."

"...except nutritional items." Kurenai quipped.

" One of them sells bananas"

"*STAAAAARE*x3"

"...I've never used it before though", He admitted under pressure.

" *SIGHx3"

" At least the vending machines don't care who's behind the money", Naruto grumbled as he ate.

That's when Ayame got an idea.

" Hey, why don't we buy the food for Naruto Dad? We go through wholesalers from out of the village, so not only would they not care where it goes, but it's also cheaper".

Teuchi put on a thinking pose, " I guess it couldn't hurt. After all, the bigger he gets, the more ramen he eats."

" Dad! Stop joking."

"Alright, alright. We can order up some extra every time we get a shipment. and being the chef that I am, I know what he needs." he declared with a nod.

" Really? Thanks guys, you're the best!", Naruto cried out with teary eyes.

" Don't thank me too much. You're the one who's going to have to figure out how to cook it", Teuchi informed him, causing Naruto to go white.

" Wait. Me? Cook? As in prepare food? As in take food items and turn them into other edible things?"

Naruto found another book stuck in his face, courtesy of Ayame this time. " Just follow the instructions. The rest is practice and determination."

"...Story of my life."

A half an hour later found Naruto trudging home, hoping to feel the comfort of his bed soon. Today had been a wierd day. He started training with his sensei by getting caught in traps, had to chase a cat around the forest, found out his clones could turn against him...or put themselves against him...and found out that his eating habits were horrible and was now getting fresh food from his favorite restaurant that he had to cook for himself.

Today had been a really wierd day.

These were the thoughts on his mind as he trudged up to the steps and froze dead in his tracks, teetering on the edge of another tiger pit.

"What the hell?¡ did she booby trap my apartment too?¡"

After an hour of paranoid searching, he concluded that she didn't. He was all for building up awareness, but leave it out of his apartment. After a much needed shower, he breathed a sigh of relief when he laid eyes on the bed.

Hopping into it...he promptly fell through the frame with the mattress. He glared at the ceiling until a piece of paper floated down and landed on his face. He picked it off and read it.

_'The bed is the easiest place to trap, gaki. Kurenai-chan may get to have her fun during work hours, but I get to have my fun off hours. _

_Your secret tormentor_

Someone else did this. He would find out who. HE. WOULD. FIND. OUT. WHO.

*The next morning*

Kurenai walked through the brisk morning air, towards a part of the village that she hadn't been in for a while, for an important reason.

She had to find out why Naruto was paying so much for electricity. Could it be foul play? Bad wiring? Someone leeching off his power? She had planned to take it up with the Hokage, but she wanted to find out for herself.

Which is why it was 6am and she was walking through the red light district towards her student's home.

All of the..."Ladies of the night" had already retired for the...morning, leaving the display windows empty and the streets bare except for massage parlor promoters and the less experienced prostitutes.

So why? Why had she somehow found her hands full of tissue packs, calling cards, and some girl's bra?¡ She hadn't even remembered accepting anything! She hated this part of town for many reasons, one of them being how far the line between prostitute and ninja skewed. She could only wonder how many of them used to be kunoichi and shinobi.

Her thoughts were sidetracked as she heard a wolf whistle directed at her...from another woman...girl, her...coworker accentuating her curves for her to see.

...She really hated this part of town.

Not soon enough, she found Naruto's apartment building. It was old, very old. While it was somewhat run down, it was a hearty structure that would probably be around until whenever or ifever Konoha found it's end.

Finding Naruto's apartment was a little difficult, but she finally found herself in front of his door.

She knocked.

*Inside*

"Muh!...Wha?", Naruto groggily woke up from his bed. He had spent another hour last night finding his box spring, which was on the roof of the building.

*Knock*

" Oh, come on." He whined. Who the hell could it be at 6freakingAM in the morning?! Well...the list was endless in this neighborhood.

*Knock*

" Alright, alright. I'm coming." he grumped as he got out of bed and grumbled his way to the door.

" This better not be about that Jesus guy again, cause I didn't even look for him the first time!", Kurenai heard as he neared the door.

The door flung open for Kurenai to see him in pajamas and the funniest looking night-cap she had ever seen.

Naruto's glare turned into shock, " Kurenai-sensei? What are you doing here? Am I late for training or something?"

" Training is on hold until I get to the bottom of your electrical issue."

" I have an issue?"

" I'd call 8,000 ryou a month, an issue."

Naruto looked at her questioningly, " Why, how much do you pay a month?"

" No more than 1800"

Naruto's mouth dropped open, " That little?¡ Man, the appliances in my house suck"

Kurenai folded your arms, " You can't actually believe it's your appliances giving you such a big bill."

"Like I said, they're ancient." He insisted.

" Then we'll test them and see", she said, holding up a power meter.

" Err, isn't that what they took out until I pay my power bill?", he asked unsurely.

" I'm a jounin Naruto. It comes with a few perks. Like getting the power back on for the day to conduct and investigation."

"...only for the day?"

" Yes. Until you pay your extraordinarily large bill. Unplug all of your appliances while I plug it in."

Naruto did just that as Kurenai pulled open the panel and plugged the meter back in. As soon as she did, the disc started spinning like a buzzsaw. So, she was ri-

"-Sensei! I'm having *ugh* a little trouble pulling the fridge out to unplug it!" Her thoughts were interupted as Naruto called out into the hallway.

...Nooo. It couldn't be.

She walked into the kitchen. As soon as she laid eyes on the refrigerator, she had to take into account that maybe Naruto was right. The fridge had a manual latch door afterall, and they stopped making those decades before she was even born. Naruto was busy trying to pull the fridge out with a group of four clones, and the thing was hardly budging, even when she joined in. The thing weighed at least a ton!

Not soon enough, they finally got it out far enough to see that their effort was in vain. The damn thing was hardwired into the power outlet!

"*sigh* Do you have a fuse box anywhere around here?" Kurenai asked, looking to shut it down at the source.

" Yeah, it's right over there", Naruto pointed to a box in the wall of the kitchen.

As soon as she opened it up, she deadpanned. " These are knife switches...and the biggest fuses I've ever seen." Ancient indeed. It didn't take too long to find the one leading to the fridge. It was the one emanating heat like a radiator. Finding a broom, she used the handle to throw the switch to the off position.

"Go check the meter and tell me if it stopped spinning"

Naruto did just that.

" Yep! Dead stop!"

" You have got to be kidding me." she grumbled as she stared at the knife switch. What about the other appliances? She set her sights on the particularly old microwave. Pulling it out, she read the power requirements on the tag.

"Six kilowatts...s-six kilowatts?¿" she stuttered out in disbelief. Her own microwave only used a quarter of that!

" I told you it uses alot of power." Naruto retorted as he walked back into the kitchen.

" Naruto, these two appliances use more power than four family households." She stated in disbelief.

" I know. But it's not like I have the money to buy new ones", he fired back.

She thought about that. There was no way the landlord didn't update the appliances in the building, because no...adult..would pay that much for electricity. Maybe they had changed the rest of the appliances and not Naruto's...

" I need to speak to one of your neighbors", she stated.

Naruto flinched, " Err, I think Risa-san is home, but she's probably working"

" It won't take long"

She found Risa-san's door quick enough and knocked.

" I really don't think this is a good idea", Naruto mumbled.

*Woof* *Woof* A dog barked, rather lamely.

" Bad doggy! No bark!", she heard a female chastise the dog before opening the door.

Kurenai stiffened when Risa opened the door, showing her clad in...leather...stuff...hardly.

As soon as Risa laid eyes on Kurenai, she started eyeing her up like a predator would a piece of meat.

" And how can I help you, cutie?"

"Err...I was wondering...if you have had any appliance upgrades since you moved in.", Kurenai strained out, noticing the "doggy" behind Risa was actually a man playing the part...collar and all.

Risa looked at her questioningly before seeing Naruto behind her, " Oohhhh. You mean the shrimp is still using the crap that came with the apartment?¿ No wonder my lights dim all the time. I swear I could run a band of electric chairs off the power those pieces of shit used."

"A-ah...so the landlord hasn't updated anything"

" Pffft. Hell no. I just bought my own. I haven't even seen that old bat in over two years. But at least that old refrigerator turned into a nice time-out box for naughty slaves, so I got something out of it", Risa looked on...the bright side...?

"I...see..Um..thank you for your time."

Risa put on a smirk, " Now that that's out of the way, how about I give you a free overnight visit? I'd love to have you on the end of a leash."

" No! Sorry. Already taken." Kurenai blurted out quickly as she backed away.

" Awww. What a lucky son of a-", she shut the door as she declared her disappointment.

Naruto was as beet red as Kurenai.

"...You live...next door...to a dominatrix..", Kurenai mumbled out in broken speech.

"Is that what they're called? I didn't want to look to far into it", he answered distractingly.

She stayed silent as she tried to block out unwanted images...and concentrate on the task at hand. She knew the appliances sucked power like gluttons, most likely the rest of them as well. She knew the electircal wiring was ancent, and probably bleeding off power by the kilowatt. She also knew the landlord was supposed to update appliances and maintain the structure, which she was clearly not doing. The next step then was to confront her.

*At the landlords door*

Kurenai knocked for the tenth time. She was really getting irritated.

" I don't think I've seen her since I started the Academy. Does she even live here anymore?", Naruto mused as Kurenai finally had it and started rifling through her pockets.

" I don't care if I get reprimanded for this. I'm talking to this "landlord" NOW", she bit out as she pulled out a pick and started manipulating the lock.

Naruto expertly acted as a lookout as Kurenai worked. She would ignore that.

Finally, the lock gave in and the door opened. A pressure difference caused a slight backdraft as the door opened, and then a pungent smell greeted them.

Both wrinkled their noses at it before soldiering into the darkened apartment.

Something was wrong. There was dust caked on everything, including the stuffed cats that littered the apartment...both shuddered.

" Is anybody here?", Kurenai called out as she fumbled through the dark. She found herself in the living room, where the only light came from a T.V. going, it's picture malfunctioning, yet showing someone in a chair watching it.

" Excuse me...Are you awake?", she called out as she approached the person.

" Found the light switch!", Naruto called out as he flicked it on, lighting up the whole apartment.

" ACK!"

He jumped when he heard that. Was that Kurenai-sensei?¿ He ran into the living room to find her pressed up to a wall, grasping her chest as she heaved air, staring wideeyed at someone in the chair.

He looked.

His skin crawled and he started dry heaving.

It was a mummy, and not a good looking one either.

* An hour later*

Hiruzen, Naruto, and Kurenai looked on as Anbu carried out the covered remains of Naruto's landlord. They had estimated she died well over a year ago of natural causes.

" May I ask why you felt the need to break into her apartment in the first place Kurenai-san?", Sarutobi finally asked the weary jounin.

" I can actually show you why Hokage-sama", she muttered out tiredly.

* In Naruto's apartment*

The Hokage stared at the refrigerator in shock," ...My mother bought the same model when I was 10", he mumbled out.

He then found Naruto's power bill in his view, and his pipe fell out of his mouth.

" The Sarutobi compound doesn't even use this much power! Why didn't you say anything about this Naruto?¡"

He shrugged, " I thought it was normal."

" Is there anything else you think was "normal"?", the Hokage inquired. Kurenai hadn't thought about that.

" Well...there's the white crap all over my pipes that keeps flaking off..."

"..."

"..."

"And then there's the black spots in my closet."

"...What black spots?", Hiruzen finally asked.

Naruto led them to his room.

" Err, don't mind the poster"

How could they not? After all, neither of them knew Tsunade did a bikini shoot.

" These black spots", Naruto pointed them out after opening the closet. They tore themselves away from the visage.

Hiruzen blanched when he saw the water damage and abundant black mold.

"...Okay..."

* 15 minutes later*

Anbu was busy evacuating and cordoning off the building.

An engineering crew was suiting up for an evaluation of the building.

Residents were griping about being pulled from their apartments to the man in charge of the operation.

Naruto was still in his pajamas and Kurenai was pinching the bridge of her nose.

The Hokage walked up to the pair, " I want you two to meet me in my office in two hours"

" Jiji, I'm still in my pajamas!", Naruto complained.

" Your stuff will be taken to a room at the hotel down the road, along with all the other residents'. Until then, you'll have to find something else to wear."

Naruto slumped. Kurenai pinched harder.

* Two hours later*

Three people trudged to the Hokage Tower. Naruto in a..borrowed outfit. Kurenai with a bit of stress in her features, and Asuma who was wondering why Kurenai borrowed some of his old clothes for Naruto to wear.

" You don't have to come with Asuma", Kurenai said tiredly.

" Oh, yes I do. I gotta hear what happened. The whole district is nuts.", Asuma retorted.

" And how would you know that?"

" My favorite tobacco shop is in there." He answered with a grin.

Kurenai sighed. Of course it was.

" You seem stressed."

"...It's been a long day."

" But it's only 10:30"

"...don't remind me", she groaned.

* A while later*

All three looked at the Hokage as he regarded them. He knew he'd see his son along with them. It was inevitability.

He looked down at the final report.

" Your apartment building hasn't been renovated...ever...since it was built during the founding of Konoha", Hiruzen started off, only shocking Asuma.

" The wiring is almost as old as me, and uninsulated in large portions, making it an electrocution and fire hazard. The pipes have asbestos on them, and they're leaking, causing water damage and toxic mold. They also found the gas pipes leaking, three more dead bodies, and a drug lab setup in one of the abandoned apartments. While the building's structure is sound, the innards need to be gutted, repiped, rewired, refinished, and refitted."

All three looked at him with mouths open.

"...which means...", Naruto left off.

" Which means, your going to be living in that hotel room for a while once you get it, AND you need to go to the hospital".

" Eh?¡ I do?"

" Naruto, you were exposed to asbestos and toxic mold. You most likely have it in your lungs, and it's not going to go away without medical intervention. Luckily, Tsunade invented a way to pull substances out of the body with a medium. It should work for this as well. All the residents are being tested and treated."

"...Yikes.."

" Where is the money coming from for all this pops?" Asuma questioned.

" Very simple, the landlords account. She's been saving the rent from all the tenants for years, so there's plenty to pay for everything, including the medical bills." he answered matter of factly.

" Is that legal? I mean, shouldn't the family get the money?" Asuma asked with a questioning look.

" Obviously, she had no family Asuma. Otherwise she wouldn't have been able to turn into a mummy in the year and a half she's been absent. If she does have family, they sure as hell don't deserve it." Hiruzen voiced as he puffed his pipe. " Now, I believe you have an appointment with the hospital, Naruto"

Naruto slumped, " This isn't going to hurt is it?"

"...Probably a little bit"

*At the hospital*

Asuma fiddled with an unlit cigarette as he sat on a bench. Unfortunately, he couldn't smoke it inside the hospital, and he was currently acting as a headrest for Kurenai, who had nodded off 10 minutes after Naruto went into treatment. That was two hours ago. How long did it take to pull some dust and mold out of his lungs?

"Mhm"

Ah shit. He moved too much.

Kurenai woke up with a groggy look, " Is he out yet?"

"Nope...I'm surprised."

" That he isn't out yet?"

" No. That you're waiting for him. Most team leaders wouldn't even bother going with them to the hospital."

"...I hate the idea of getting out of the hospital and seeing no one there waiting for you."

" Personal experience?"

" Yes. It's not a good feeling. Besides, I've unintentionally upturned his life in the matter of a couple days. The least I can do is take him to his hotel room after lung surgery." she replied with a hint of sarcasm.

Asuma chuckled. Naruto didn't seem to resent it.

Finally, the door opened and Naruto walked out, with a jar and a...rather odd look on his face.

" Did everything go alright?", Kurenai asked as she quirked an eyebrow at his relaxed posture.

Naruto just seemed to realize they were there, but more with interest than shock, " Heheh, yeah", he replied loosely.

Kurenai was confused, " Are..you feeling alright?"

"mmm, yeah...everything's all goooood", he...replied... as his head sank to the side, " They even lemme keep the...stuff they...got", he replied as his eyes drifted to the ceiling.

"They didn't give you anything else did they?", Asuma asked knowingly. The doctors were loose with painkillers afterall...if you could really call them painkillers.

" Oh yeeeaah...yeah...whoooa", he mumbled as something, actual or delusional, caught his attention.

Both adults sighed. He was stoned off his rocker. A common occurence in afterpatient pickup, and one they weren't innocent of.

"How long is he going to be like this?", Kurenai asked Asuma. She prefered the sober Naruto better.

" If it's the usual stuff, it should start toning down in a little while-Err, you might wanna catch him before he wanders off", Asuma said while pointing.

Kurenai quickly caught up to her less than lucid student, "Wrong way Naruto. We're going this way", she physically directed.

" But the butterflies are so pretty"

" You can look at them later"

8

8

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* An hour and a half later*

After many redirects and setbacks, the "painkillers" started losing their edge, and they finally found Naruto's room.

" Are we there yet? Cause I'm really starting to get sick of the ground making ripples, and my chest feels tight...and what the heck is in this jar I'm holding?", he groaned before staring at the jar that he had been holding for god knows how long.

"That's the particulate they pulled from your lungs, and yes, we're finally here." Kurenai sighed in stress and relief at the same time. Good, she wouldn't have to watch over him. She unlocked the door and opened it.

"Well...it's very...grey", Asuma compromised, staring into the suite they gave Naruto.

" That's really wierd looking furniture...it looks uncomfortable too", Naruto mumbled out in his stupor.

"...It's...only temporary...so just ignore that...stuff", Kurenai broke out, pushing him into the room with a blue face. She should have seen it coming. The hotel was in the red light district after all, " Just rest up. At least the...bed...looks inviting". The top half anyways. " It's all expenses paid, so use room service if you're hungry. I'll see you tomorrow morning". She finished, backing out of the dun...room.

" Okay...sorry for being such a bother today", he mumbled.

Kurenai was confused, " Wait, bother? You've hardly been a bother. It should be me apologizing for what happened today."

Naruto shook his head tiredly, " If it wasn't for you, I'd still have this crud in my lungs and a huge power bill. So bother me as much as you want. I'd like to think that if I had had a mother, she'd have cared just as much".

"..."

" Well...see you tomorrow Kurenai-sensei", he slurred and mumbled as he drug himself through the door and shut it.

Kurenai was still trying to contemplate what the hell just happened.

"...Did he just-"

" Compare you to a mother figure? Let's see. First authoritative female figure in his life, an orphan since birth, showed concern over his troubles and instead of just talking, sought to correct them without him asking. Yep. And only on the second day. You're a natural!", Asuma proclaimed as he squeezed her shoulder congratulatorily.

"..is that normal?", she finally asked.

" For orphans, yes. Well, unless the sensei is an ass or plays favorites with the prodigy or something of that nature.", he answered back as they walked out of the hotel.

*The next morning*

Kurenai watched as Naruto hopped, jiggled, and danced through the training field, and they hadn't even started yet. She had relegated most of them to the training field for now, but she had set one up next to his apartment. She had forgotten to ask if he had fallen into it or not in hue of what happened yesterday. She'd have to ask when he got there.

" Gyah!"

...If he got through. Yeah...he was getting through...she thought.

It was ten minutes later that he got up to her, a little more disshelved than when he started.

" See, you're getting better at it."

" Well, apparently, I'm getting extra help. I forgot to show you this yesterday, but do you know who's writing this is?", he asked handing her the note.

One look at the writing and the content and she let out a sigh. " Anko", she grumbled, before her eyes shot open and looked at Naruto, who was now giving off an evil smirk.

" Now I have a name. Heheheheh.", he chuckled darkly as he rubbed his hands. She had seen that look before, a day before the jounin lounge mysteriously filled up with whipped cream.

" What did she do?", Kurenai almost didn't want to ask.

" She stole my box spring and threw it on the roof! Then she even got into my room at the hotel and rigged the bed canopy to fall on me when I was asleep!"

"...Yeah. Sounds like she deserves some payback", Kurenai agreed. She did? Thinking on it, yeah, she did. If Naruto could get her a few good times, who was she to stop him? Especially after framing her with that lingerie. Asuma was still bugging her about it.

" Just don't go too overboard. She can have a sadistic streak"

Naruto looked that up. "Oh. Well so can I", he proclaimed as he shut the book with conviction.

" Alright, let's start on continuing tree climbing before we get to taijutu", Kurenai moved along, ushering Naruto to do the same.

Naruto snapped a salute, " Hai, Kure-senei!", he proclaimed before going to a tree.

" Kure-sensei huh?", she mumbled. So this was the honor of a Naruto nickname. At least it wasn't derogatory like some of the others, as fitting as they were. And thinking on it, it was actually quite fitting.

Shaking her head, she followed behind him to monitor his progress.

8

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*Note* Wallpaper paste is made out of food starches or wheat, especially in earlier times. It was even turned into soup during World War II by the American forces pinned in Bastogne during the Battle of The Bulge.

*Note* Vending machines in Japan sell alot, ALOT of different stuff. There is even a Dole banana vending machine at one of the train stations in Tokyo.

*Note* Kure means "sunset"


	4. The Longest Day

*PreChapter*

Naruto chuckled evilly as he watched from a rooftop. He knew she'd be there soon. She always went there around the same time. He knew that before she decided to mess with him.

" What are you cackling about?"

"Gah! K-Kure-sensei! What are you doing here?", he asked nervously as his teacher regarded him.

" Wondering why my student is up on a building looking like a Wraith"

"A what?"

"It's...nevermind. What are you doing up here?", she pressed.

He grinned evilly, " Getting Anko back"

Uhoh.

"And what exactly did you do?"

Naruto gave her a pout, " Now where would be the fun in telling? You gotta watch."

Kurenai looked at him with a wary expression before resigning to watching the show. Speaking of the victim, here she came.

They watched as she happily walked into her favorite restaurant to order a plate of dango.

They watched as she received said plate of dango and started munching happily.

" Let me guess...you put laxatives in her dango", Kurenai tried predicting.

"Pffft, no. What do I look like? An amateur?", Naruto huffed indignantly.

Just then, a delivery boy walked into the restaurant.

" Excuse me Mitarashi-san, but I have a special delivery from Yuna's Extravagant Cake Shop"

Anko looked at him in confusion, " Eh? But I didn't order a cake."

" But I've been tasked with delivering one to you, which I've done, so ja ne!"

Anko looked down in confusion. It was sealed up in a storage scroll. She thought about what it might be for, before just deciding to open it and find out.

Boy did she wish she hadn't.

"Congratulations on your first colonoscopy!" was written on the top of the giant table cake with a depiction of a happy looking nurse with what looked like a roto rooter going towards an equally happy looking Anko, bent over with her skirt down.

She went blue in the face as she heard the snorts of the other customers upon seeing the cake. She quickly popped it back into the scroll as everybody started falling over while hissing out laughter.

Much like Kurenai was doing, crouched over on the roof. It was cruel, but good god. Naruto was snickering too, sitting against the ledge to hide from an angry Anko.

Which was probably a good thing. Cause he knew, that she would know.

"UZUMAKI!¡! THIS MEANS WAR!¡!", Anko roared to the heavens.

"Now you've done it", Kurenai teased with a smirk.

"Let her do her worst", Naruto replied smugly.

8

8

8

*Chapter*

Despite a rough first couple of days, things had planed off into a sort of normal repetition through the next few, with Kurenai seeing surprising results. She had figured out pretty quickly she had something that no one in Konoha, even the Hokage, had.

Naruto's undivided attention.

She had it to begin with, she knew that much, but that was more from being unaccustomed to her, gauging her, or something. But now, it came with the name

"Kure-sensei", and she'd be sure to use it to the best of her ability.

She had started adding genjutsu to the morning challenge, making him figure out if he was in one or not. Maybe she should implement it with the traps as well...later. There were only so many places she could trap outside of the training field without enraging the locals so genjutsu worked alot better. She also had him reciting their surroundings while walking through town. How many shinobi did they pass? How many vendors were there? What did the girl, they passed, just buy?

That..was a little trickier.

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8

*Flashback*

Kurenai stopped their trek and turned to Naruto. She knew he hated this part of training. Anybody could by the way he was grumbling.

" How many people were glaring at you?"

The question rattled him before he looked at the ground with a scowl.

" Too many"

She knew that would probably be his answer. Who would want to count that many people throwing cold looks at you? But it also was part of his trouble with paying attention to his surroundings. By ignoring them, he was also ignoring alot more. She had to press.

"That isn't a numeric value"

He looked at her in confusion.

" A number", she clarified.

"I'm not going to count how many people hate me", he huffed indignantly.

"Then, how many weren't glaring at you?"

That question threw him for an even bigger loop," How many..."

" Do you think everybody in the village hates you? Do you think everybody has held onto their anger for 13 years? Or that it's all the same civilian population since the Kyuubi attack? Naruto, by ignoring the people around you, you miss out on a lot. Danger signs, clues, information, warnings, the big picture, AND potential allies."

Naruto was speechless, so she kept driving it home.

" With so many glaring at you, it makes it so much easier to find the ones who are looking at you with other looks. People who have no ill will, or just moved to Konoha, or just don't know. You just have to get past the glares."

" It's hurts though, seeing so many people and knowing they hate me."

" Then you need to look at your surroundings with a shinobi eye"

"A...shinobi eye?"

" An eye that sees nothing but statistics, numbers, impersonal objects to be studied, not people glaring at them."

"...You can do that?", Naruto spoke with a heavy dose of hesitance. Turning people into nothing but numbers?

Kurenai nodded, " All seasoned ninja can. It's one of the many ways we cope with killing so many adversaries. It can be cruel and change you for the worst, or it can keep you from drowning in guilt or self-loathing."

"...wow date...bayo", he mumbled, just finishing the slip.

"It can be a tricky thing, and it's usually not brought up until a shinobi starts racking up a body count, but I think we can apply it to this as well. So this is what you're going to do. We're going to walk around the village. Count the ones that glare or ignore you as red, and the ones that look at you with something else as blue. That's all you should feel. Red and blue. Let's begin"

They walked for nearly a half an hour. Kurenai kept them off the main thoroughfares so he could actually count though. After that half an hour was up, they found themselves in the same spot they had started in.

"All right, how many reds were there?"

" About 211", he said with a little gloom, but it was an improvement.

"And how many blues were there?"

"...79", he admitted in confusion as the number coming out of his mouth. How did that work?

" So, almost thirty percent of the population at least didn't show ill will towards you", she summarized.

" It was confusing. Some were looking at me like they were trying to figure me out, some were looking with curiosity, and others looked at me with...guilt?", he said questioningly.

Kurenai nodded. He was learning a valuable lesson. Before she could voice this to him, his face scrunched up.

" Then, there were the ones who were giggling and winking at me"

Kurenai's speech died on her tongue, " Giggling...and winking?"

" Uh, girls...mostly"

"...mostly"

"Y-yeah. Alot of them had some weird orange pin."

"...", she wasn't going to tell him. Ignorance was best for as long as he had it.

"Well, I think we've practiced this enough for the day. Let's get back to the training field. I managed to read up on the Kage Bushin and want to test something out." she claimed as she put a hand on his shoulder to lead the way. She stiffened when she felt a cold chill down her spine as she snapped her eyes to look behind her.

"What the heck was that?", Naruto asked with surprise at the feeling of killer intent in the air.

"Nothing that concerns us. Probably a scuffle further down the road or something", she lied as she glared daggers at where she knew they were hiding and watching.

She decided to shunshin them to their destination instead, leaving a few people grumbling under their breath.

8

8

*At the training fields*

"So Kure-sensei, did I miss anything in the scroll about the Kage Bushin?".

Kurenai nodded, " A very big part, Naruto. Not only are the clones solid, they can also manipulate chakra, meaning they can use jutsu. I don't know how many they can use before their chakra supply runs out, but it's a very big advantage don't you think?"

Naruto nodded, " I could have them all do Shuriken Kage Bushin at the same time! Or some other jutsu my awesome sensei teaches me to take advantage of this great gift", he sweet talked none to effectively.

"Nice try. Not until you're at least past tree climbing in terms of chakra control", she shot him down, causing him to pout as she continued," Besides, there is a much bigger advantage as well. From what the scroll told me, anything the clones learn, will transfer to you when they're dispelled."

This time, Naruto looked skeptical, "I haven't ever noticed it before. Maybe someone put that part in as a joke".

"Or you haven't noticed for the same reason you were having trouble keeping them in line, you weren't concentrating on them", she quipped.

He still looked skeptical, so she decided to try it out.

"Alright then, make a clone", she requested. He popped...3...and poofed two out of existence. The last one, she took behind a tree.

She had planned on telling it some off-hand remark, but as soon as she looked down to address the clone, she saw IT.

Her stare tried boring a hole into it, but it sat there, mocking her as her eyes shaded and her cheek twitched.

"Naruto...you have a pimple on the side of your nose", she told him in a deeper voice than she normally used.

The clone was freaked out by her change of demeanor, " O-oh. Y-yeah, I've been getting them lately-W-wait! Stay away! Uh, gottagobye! *POOF*".

Kurenai's outstretched hands went to her sides as she sighed in disappointment. Well, now to see the results.

As soon as she came back into the clearing, she could tell something was wrong, in that he was looking at her expectantly.

"Didn't you remember anything?", she asked in confusion.

He shook his head in the negative, " No, not even a...wait...I kinda remember an image. Something like you giving me a creepy face or something."

" Something's not working here...first thing's first *GRAB*"

Naruto found his face grabbed by both of Kurenai's hands as a familiar face glared at him.

"What the he-OW! OWOWOWOWOOOWWW!"

"Hold still. It's not all out yet!"

Crows took flight as Kurenai continued her rampage on Naruto's face.

* A few minutes later*

Naruto stared an angry pout at Kurenai as the "wound" quickly healed.

"Much better...Now to the other problem...", she announced as she put her fingers in an eerily familiar handsign.

Obviously, she didn't just study the jutsu.

*POOF* One clone announced it's presence as Kurenai gasped a breath.

"You can use Kage-bushin too?", Naruto asked in shock.

" Studying a jutsu is a rare opportunity, so it was inevitable that I would learn it as well. But for me, it feels like I'm ripping half my chakra network out of my body every time I do it. Now, go behind that tree and do something random, then dispel", she ordered her clone once the awful feeling left her.

She could swear she heard a mumbled "bitch" from it as it walked behind the tree.

A poof happened a little while later, and...nothing.

Kurenai's eyes opened to show a look of frustration. She didn't get anything from it, while Naruto...aahhhh...uuugghhh

" Okay. Apparently, the effectiveness of the ability grows in parallel with either how much you use the jutsu, or how long you've known the jutsu"

" So, no gaining their complete memories for a while." Naruto surmised.

"It seems that's the case. I was hoping to use it to speed up your training", she admitted.

"You can do that with it?", Naruto asked in surprise.

"At least with one thing at a time. If the ability is this finicky, it probably won't work on multiple subjects at once".

Naruto just shrugged, " Oh well. I can still use them for a whole lot of other things, and if I can already see a picture with them now, I might be able to use them as scouts soon", he looked on the bright side.

Kurenai had to give him kudos on the optimism department.

8

8

8

* End of the flying flucking flashback*

*PRESENT*

Kurenai watched as Naruto walked through the training field like he was treading through a den of sleeping predators. Kurenai hadn't retrapped the area after yesterday, so there were only a few out there.

What she did do, though. was overlay a genjutsu on an area. She wondered if he'd notice.

'I sure can', Kurenai though as she looked to her right.

Once he had gotten though the clearing, his face screwed up in confusion as he smelled the air.

Ah, he got it.

"Kure-sensei, was Ino here?"

Yup, he was onto it. It wasn't too hard.

"Why do you ask Naruto?"

" I could smell that perfume she uses from a mile away"

"Are you saying I stink?¡"

No point keeping the genjutsu up after the voice of the person in question shouted out. Kurenai let go of the genjutsu to show Ino right beside her with an angry look directed at Naruto, who put his hands up in defense.

"No! I'm just saying it stands out against everything else. I mean, it doesn't even smell natural."

"He's right", Kurenai agreed, which stopped them both, especially Ino, who was marching up to Naruto with intent to do something not good. Kurenai looked down at the girl.

"It's not a natural scent, and it's very overpowering. If you were trying to hide from someone, they could probably find you by scent alone"

Ino opened her mouth to retort, but realized that using the old " You wouldn't understand because you're not a girl" line wouldn't work so well on a female jounin, and one that was very attractive to boot.

" I'm trying to catch someone's attention, so I have to wear it", she admitted in a mumble.

Kurenai quirked and eyebrow, " Oh? And who would that be? Naruto?"

Ino's mouth dropped at the question, " Of course not! Why would I want to catch his attention?¡", she argued.

"Oh? Then mine?"

"N-no!"

"One of your teammates?"

"Heck no!"

"Then who?"

"Sasuke's", Naruto supplied with a jealous grumble.

"Uchiha Sasuke? He's on Team 7. So why are you wearing it for someone you might not even see today?"

Yet again, the "You don't understand" speech wouldn't work, so Ino went to more underhanded tactics, " Well, don't you wear perfume all the time in case Asuma-sensei shows up?"

Kurenai froze up slightly, then sighed. She knew, the first day, that they'd catch on. Asuma and his stupid "let's keep it a secret" didn't work so well in a ninja village. Oh well, it was his idea anyways.

" True. In fact, I'm wearing it now. So...", she walked up to the girl and looked at her eye to eye, only and inch apart, " What do I smell like?"

Ino went cherry red, " Umm...umm..y-you kinda smell like...wildflowers?"

Kurenai pulled back to full height. " Kinda?", Kurenai prodded

"Well, it's faint", Ino admitted.

"And why would it be something natural and faint?", Kurenai pressed.

Ino already knew the answer, but her pride was hesitant.

"...so you can't be tracked by it", she lamented.

"Precisely. This is what most kunoichi go for. A scent that attracts at close range, but is hardly traceable, except to more specialized trackers like the Inuzuka"

Ino had to admit, it made sense. But then,,,,,"What about boys?", she asked.

Kurenai's teacher mode faultered a bit, " Well, alot of them tend to just let their surroundings pick out their scent", she admitted, which is why, as much as he tried not to, Asuma smelled like smoke.

"Oh? So Naruto must smell like Ramen", Ino poked.

A tick marked formed on Naruto's forehead, " What do you think I do? Dump it all over my pants or something? Ramen goes in your mouth, not on your clothes". he argued.

Ino narrowed her eyes at him, before marching up within a foot of him and taking a sniff. What used to be an expectant look turned confused before she closed the distance, grabbed him by the coat and took a deep sniff right into it while he did the perfect impersonation of a shocked statue.

It's like he's never been molested by a girl's nose before. Kurenai amusingly waited.

Ino's conclusion came as she smelled his hair, " He doesn't smell like anything! I can hardly even smell his body scent."

"W-well I use scent masking products. I wouldn't have been able to do half my pranks if I didn't", he admitted.

Ino finally conceeded defeat, " Alright, I get it, lay off the potent perfume."

"Just find one tha's subtle and natural", Kurenai reminded her, " You family owns a flower shop. I'm sure you could make your own fragrance."

" Yeah, like lilac, or honeysuckle", Naruto suggested, slightly embarrassing Ino, before he remembered something, " I remember talking to Kiba about the same thing. He said pheromones on a girl make for the best scent, whatever those are."

Ino was confused while Kurenai went red, " What the heck are pheromones? Do you know what they are Kurenai-sensei?", Ino asked while Naruto looked at her expectantly as well.

Kurenai conceded, "They're...a certain scent female animals, mostly mammals, like dogs and humans...give off to attract males when...they're ready to...mate"

"...M-mate...that means-"

"When they're ready to have children"

Ino went red as a tomato, while Naruto scratched the back of his head with a lighter blush.

"W-well, I guess Kiba was right then."

"Baka! Don't agree with that idiot!"

"Why not? They do the same job as perfume!"

"Perfume is for more than making babies!"

"Oh right, I forgot. It catches boys' attention, turns them into boyfriends and then husbands, THEN babies", he mocked, knowing pheromones would basically do the same thing.

The two bickered back and forth while Kurenai tried to brush the thoughts on that out of her head and get them back on track. A hearty clearing of the throat stopped their little love spat.

"Anyways, I brought Ino out here to spar against your taijutsu, Naruto. So if you two are done bickering like an old couple, we can start."

Mouths were agape.

*A little while later*

8

8

Well, this wasn't what she expected.

" You...you punched me!"

Or maybe she did and just had too high a hopes that it wasn't true...

" Well, yeah. We ARE sparring."

...especially after smelling her three minutes before she even walked onto the field.

" You don't punch people full force in a spar!"

The overly pungent perfume-

" Of course you do! We're simulating enemy fighting, after all!"

The obvious interest in a popular boy-

" Well then "simulate" a punch, baka! My cheek hurts! And you ruined my blush!"

And now...for the love of god, she was reapplying make-up in the middle of a spar!

"What the hell are you doing?¡ We're still fighting!"

"Not until my makeup is fixed!"

Naruto looked to Kurenai as if to ask "What the hell did you stick me with?". Kurenai could only scratch her cheek and look away.

Ino was a bona-fide fangirl. A fangirl from a ninja clan no less.

A long time ago, when Kurenai was a genin, she had absolutely loathed fangirls and wanted nothing to do with them, and made sure they knew it.

As a much older, and much more mature Jounin, she really couldn't do that, especially when the fangirl was a student, but she could try to knock some sense into the girl. The question was how? It was something to ponder at a later time.

At least she had decent taijutsu skills...well..what she had seen of them. She let them go at it for another hour before calling it quits. She could already see a major improvement in Naruto's taijutsu...certain parts of it anyways. It had only been two days since they started working on it. He had memorized the attacks, she had shown him, almost perfectly, and ony in a couple of sessions, though, she'd make sure that he knew them reflexively before moving onto more. She didn't want to overwhelm him after all.

She already had him on edge in the morning, doing taijutsu and chakra control in the afternoon, and a mission after that. Once he became proficient enough in taijutsu, she would start on something else. Possibly ninjutsu? She didn't know many...she didn't even know her elemental affinity, something to look into.

Her attention came back to her as she heard her name called and found the two looking up at her.

"Ah, gomen. Anyways, that's it for taijutsu practice."

"So, what are we going to do now?"

Surprisingly, the question came from Ino.

Kurenai quirked an eyebrow, " Don't you want to go back to your own team now?"

Ino's face scrunched up in a pout, " All Asuma-sensei is doing today is giving Shikamaru some IQ test. So there's no harm in me staying and training with you, is there Kurenai-sensei?"

Kurenai could hear hope in her voice, " I...guess it couldn't hurt. But all we're doing for the rest of the day is chakra exercise and a mission."

If that was supposed to deter the girl, it had the opposite effect.

"A mission?¡ You're already doing missions?¡ Heck yeah, I want to stay!", Ino shrieked. Obviously, she wasn't as bad as some fangirls, but she probably wouldn't be as enthused when she found out what kind of mission it would be.

8

8

*Later that day*

The temporary trio walked to the mission hall, Ino still having a bounce in her step. Once she found out what the chakra exercise was, she was elated. She was getting it down a lot faster than Naruto, thanks to the precision her clan's techniques require, and her low chakra reserves, which Kurenai pointed out for her to improve on.

Now, it was time for a cho-mission. As the two blondes squabbled back and forth, Kurenai felt kind of bad for taking away Asuma's fun in seeing Ino's reaction. She doubted his other two students' reactions would be as priceless.

Once they entered the office, they found the Hokage in there. Most likely hiding from his advisors. His smile turned into a confused frown.

"Kurenai, you seem to be one extra today."

"Hai, Hokage-sama. I borrowed her for training and she decided to come along for the day since Asuma is testing on of his other students today", she explained.

The Hokage nodded, "I see. Though, you're stealing the fun on seeing her on her first mission."

"I'll make it up to him."

The Hokage looked at an interesting wall, "I'm sure you will. Well, let's see what we have for you", he replied before rifling through the scrolls. Kurenai was busy keeping down a blush and Ino was giggling while Naruto was wondering what he missed.

"Ah. Here we go."

Naruto wasn't as excited as Ino, who was practically chomping at the bit.

"This one is absolutely perfect. Weeding and tending a garden."

All three watched as Ino's expression turned from excitement, to comical disbelief.

"E...e...EH?¡?¡"

Ah, such a priceless moment.

*In Konoha General*

The trio walked to their destination while Ino whined about their "mission".

"This isn't a mission! It's chore work! If I wanted to weed a garden, I would have stayed home and helped my mom!" Ino argued.

"This is what fresh genin get in the beginning, Ino. So expect to get a good number of them before you get a more challenging one." Kurenai explained.

"Why have us do stuff like D-ranks, when they trained us for so many years to do stuff more akin to ninja?", Naruto asked, eliciting a confused, yet, shocked look from Ino, and a smirk from Kurenai. So, he was reading it.

"An easy question to answer, actually. While D-ranks are basically chores around the village, they do prove a purpose, or purposes, if you will. The first is very simple. To see if new genin can accomplish a set task efficiently and without any incidents. The Hokage isn't going to trust you with protecting a client or running down a group of thieves if you can't even, for instance, weed a garden, or catch a cat. The second reason is to get accustomed to your teammates and work more efficiently as a coherent unit before putting you through more challenging tasks. The last rason is less obvious, but very important as well. Public relations."

Both looked at her in confusion as they stopped.

"Public relations? How is that important?" Ino asked in confusion.

Kurenai regarded them before deciding to just be honest about it.

"A lot of civilians see ninja as cold blooded killers, murderers, especially outside of Konoha. They have every right to, since a lot of ninja can be no better than that, especially during wars, when their towns are ravaged, destroyed, and fought over. But inside Konoha, the civilians are a little more used to seeing ninja, but it doesn't hurt to help the image by using new genin as a service to them, especially before they "mature" into hardened ninja."

"So...to keep a public face?" Ino surmised.

"Precisely." Kurenai agreed.

"Huh. I guess it all makes sense...they're still boring though." Naruto grumbled.

"Yes...yes they are", Kurenai agreed. Even she couldn't justify being excited over weeding a garden. They started towards their destination again.

It was a few blocks later that-"You have got to be kidding me", Ino mumbled. After all, they were in a very familiar part of town, and she knew of only one family with a garden.

Her statement was proven true as they walked up to the house...her house. Kurenai knocked as Ino slumped.

"I have to week my own garden?¡ Some first mission this turned out to be", she grumped.

"Coming!", the oddly muffled reply came as footsteps got closer. When the door opened, a person with short, platinum blond hair...and a full face gas mask, came into view.

"Yatta! My help is alrea...Ino?¿", she questioned before pulling off the gas mask, showing off her questioning green eyes, " I though you were on a team with Shikamaru and Chouji."

"She is. She just decided to join us for the day." Kurenai answered as recognition played across her face. SHE was Ino's mother?

Ino's mom looked at Kurenai before similar recognition played on her face as well, but she schooled it and looked at the last member of their party.

A coy smirk came to her face, "Ohhhh, I see..."

Was there going to be a problem?

" She ditched her team to be with her boyfriend."

Both teens facefaulted and Kurenai tried to suppress a snort as Ino's mom kept going, " While I approve of your choice, you shouldn't defect from your team to be with your boy-toy, little missie."

Ino shot up, " He's not my boyfriend!"

"So you're already engaged?¡ Eee! Wedding planning!"

"Mom!"

"Hai hai, we can discuss it later. Anyways, I'm Yamanaka Kaori, and I need your help with something dire!"

"This", Kaori prompted a minute later to the shocked bunch. Even Kurenai's mouth was hanging open. The garden was infested with weeds worthy of Training Ground 44.

"I tried to get them myself, but one of them caught me by surprise and tangled me up, then did some very inappropriate things...for an hour!", Kaori explained with an angry blush,"Then I tried herbicides, but they laughed at me...litterally! I was about to try poison gas that I picked up on the black market right before you guys showed up", she explained like she had said nothing illicit.

All three looked at her incredulously, "Poison gas?¡", Ino shrieked and Kaori confirmed.

"Something called Agent Orange."

"Mom! That stuff will kill the whole garden!"

"Ino. I just got molested by a weed...for an hour...I thinkk that warrants writing the whole garden off."

"Well now we're here, so you don't have to...so go get 'em, Naruto."

"Eh?¡ Why me? You seem so adamant about it, you go get it!"

"Baka! That big one just molested my mom! I'm not going anywhere near the thing!"

"Well neither am I! It might not have a gender preference for all I know!"

"Better you than me!"

"You grew it, you get molested by it!"

"Ooh, Ino-chan, your boyfriend is kinky." Kaori whispered none too effectively, because everybody heard it.

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"Hai hai. Boyfriend, boy-toy, pet, slave, fiance, husband, father of your child, whatever. This is no task for a genin. This is a task for a jounin.

They all looked at Kurenai, who had been inching her way towards the door until now. She had been caught. Sure, she could order the two to go get it, but then what kind of leader would she look like? With a resigned sigh, she turned to them.

*An epic fight later*

Kurenai gripped her kunai in a reverse hold, catching her breath as the thing's death throes petered out, which also allowed her to finally pull a severed tendril out from under her bra, that had been twitching annoyingly for the past ten minutes, since it grabbed her.

Naruto had found a machete, and was currently hacking it up to make sure it didn't come back to life.

The two Yamanakas gathered gardening tools to do the rest of the garden. After all, while she had killed the biggest one, there were still plenty of smaller varieties writhing and hissing amongst the rows, but those were Naruto's and Ino's problem.

8

8

*Later*

Kurenai testingly tugged at the new seam Kaori had sewn into her dress where that despicable weed had grabbed her. Naruto and his hoarde of clones worked on ripping out the rest of the weeds as both Ino and Kaori stared at him strangely.

They looked like they both had blushes.

"I wish your father could do that."

Ino looked at her mother in horror, " Mom! Don't say that kind of stuff out loud!"

Kaori looked at her daughter in confusion for only a second, before realizing what she meant, " Ino! Get your head out of the gutter! I meant that it would be great for your father to do chores with." Kaori admonished.

Any relief and embarrassment Ino would have felt was crushed by disbelief as her mother kept going, " I mean, obviously, it would make things interesting in the bedroom too, but I'd never say such things in front of my own daughter."

"Mom!"

"Especially since she seemed to figure it out all by herself. Don't tell me you took him to a hotel and already tried it-"

"Mom!¡ Shut up!¡", Ino let out a muffled scream through her hands, which were hiding her face, trying to will the situation to go away.

"-but then, I can't blame you, because he IS a little cutie. Oh! And he can do that "Orioke no Jutsu" I've seen him use! You can experiment without the hassle of trying to convince another woman! Trust me, it's not fun."

"MOM! STOP!" Ino screamed. She was so red it made tomatoes look pink.

"Alright, alright, enough girl talk. Back to work..."

Kurenai was trying to hide her blush none-to-effectively...and Naruto looked just like Ino, and was gardening the same patch of dirt over and over again like his brain was skipping.

"Awww, I broke your husband!", Kaori pouted.

8

8

*An hour later*

"Good job, you guys. You saved innocent little me from being molested again, and the garden looks beautiful. Thanks for all the hard work. Oh! Here's a little something for you two." Kaori shoved a paper bag into the still tomato colored Naruto's hands.

They were all still blushing.

"See you when you get home Ino! Whenever that is", Kaori chirped before closing the door.

The trio walked quietly towards the mission office, until Kurenai finally spoke up.

"Your mother sure turned into a very...interesting...woman." Kurenai admitted.

"Do you know her?", Naruto asked while Ino grumbled about her mother.

" Not on a personal level, but yes. Before she even married Ino's father."

"I'm really sorry about that. My mom is...nuts", Ino apologized, not having a better word to call it," Speaking of which, what did she give us?", she asked in dread. Please be cookies.

Naruto opened the bag, " Uh, cookies-"

*phew*

"-a...planned parenthood pamphlet-"

"Eh?"

"...and a box of condoms...", he strained out as he pulled the last two out of the bag.

Ino's mouth hung open as she went white as a sheet.

Kurenai plugged her ears as she murmured that she wanted the day to end..

Kaorie was sipping at a cup of tea when she heard it.

"MOM!¡!¡!"

Kaori chuckled to herself. She knew they weren't together, which was a shame. She'd like to think she derailed her daughter's obsession over the Uchiha boy though, even by just a little bit. Nothing good came from being a fangirl. She knew that lesson all too well.

...

...

That, and she had her suspicions that the Uchiha boy was gay.

8

8

*Later*

They left the Hokage in a state of confusion and what-the-fuckedness, then hiked it over to Ichiraku's to try and grab a hold of what the hell happened that day.

"Yare, yare, you mother seems to be adamant about you two being an item", Ayame replied after hearing the slightly censored tale.

"She's just nuts. Like I would ever date Naruto", Ino huffed.

"Why not? I sure would", Ayame stated before Naruto could start arguing with Ino.

"E-eh?¡", Ino blurted out incredulously.

"Oh year. If I didn't think of him as a kid brother, he wouldn't even be a virgin right now".

Ino hid her redness and Naruto shorted out again.

Kurenai just kept eating with a blush as she tried to sort it all out.

For the village pariah, he seemed to be garnering a lot of female attention. Everything had to be so complicated around him.


End file.
